


Ascension

by levicel



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Blood Magic, Blood Magic is only mentioned, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Magic, Mutual Pining, Secret Relationship, Smut, there's a whole mess of stuff going on y'all
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:47:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 31,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23407777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/levicel/pseuds/levicel
Summary: “Have you ever thought about friends with benefits?”A simple proposal leads to some complications. But when you're trying to lose your virginity in the middle of a war between two secret societies... Beggars can't be choosers, right? Besides, he's a incubus, so it's bound to be fun.
Relationships: Silas Musgraves/Temperance Holt
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this for myself to keep me busying while in quarantine. I ended up LOVING this. It's so much fun! I hope one else out there likes it because right now it's just me and my twin going nuts over these two idiots in love with each other.
> 
> With that, I bid you adieu. 
> 
> Enjoy!

“Silas?”

Silas ignored Temperance which she expected. That was usually the arrangement when they were in the same room. And really, the quiet suited the library, but this was the only room in the manor that she naturally ended up sharing with him for extended periods of time. No one was around but them. This was her chance. She stood up from the plush chair, abandoning the book that she’d been pretending to read.

“Have you ever thought about friends with benefits?”

He choked on a laugh and looked over from his chair not too far away. “What?”

Temperance shrank now that his eyes were on her. That and, even though it wasn’t a  _ laugh _ laugh yet, she fully expected him to full-on laugh soon. She was ready to run. That was why she stood up. “You-You’re a incubus and it just seems like… that would...”

He stood up. Oh no. He was walking closer.

“Be… ideal,” She looked down at her feet and, oh, look! His feet. He was right in front of her now. “For you,” she finished with a gulp.

“Are you offering, darling?” he teased, his Southern drawl smooth like honey. 

Temperance pouted. He always teased her. “I… I don’t know. I-”

“You don’t know?” She could hear the smirk.

“Maybe.”

She missed the surprised look on his face. It only lasted a second anyway. “Maybe,” he repeated with a wide grin.

Temperance swung her head up with an exasperated sigh. Her cheeks were already hot and she hated it. “I just-! It makes sense, right? It’d certainly be more effective than how you feed right now.”

Silas glowered, “Ain’t you sweet? Taking one for the team.”

“Well, no.” She found an interesting spot on the wall to stare at while she fiddled with her sleeves. “It’s benefits both ways. You can feed and the other person… gets… sex.”

Before he could even comment on that, she exploded, “I’m sick of being a virgin! Ok? I’m in my twenties. It’s not like there were a lot of opportunities with the Order and I just think it might be better if I just-” She made an excessive ripping motion. “You know?”

Silas had already known she was a virgin. Hell, everyone knew she was a virgin ‘cause after her botched blood spell that one time, she cried out that her blood had to be virgin blood because she was a virgin. Silas bit his lip to keep from smiling too big. All that time working for the Order and she didn’t know that “virgin” meant “never used before”. She did blush a pretty pink though, he thought to himself, so he answered, “Ok.”

Her eyes snapped to him. “Ok?”

“Don’t look so surprised,” he laughed. Then he leaned closer and his breath beat against her neck as he spoke. “It was your idea.”

“Wait!” Her hand went to his chest, holding him back. Her heart was already going a mile a minute. His was smooth and steady under her palm. “Now? We’re starting now?”

Silas shrugged. “Why not? No one’s here and… Let’s say, this has stirred up my appetite,” he purred.

“Ok,” Temperance squeaked. She kept her arms plastered to her side, back straight, shoulders back. When his lips brushed against her neck, her hands became fists. She felt him sigh and she wanted to shiver, a tingle running down her spine, but stayed still as he pulled away.

“Yeah,” he griped with a smack of his lips. “Gotta say the frigid thing isn’t doing anything for me.” He gestured to her dismissively before he crossed his arms.

She couldn’t help but glare at him. “I thought it’s what you do to your partners. You feed off what they feel.”

His arms dropped as that insufferable smirk came back. “How  _ long _ have you been thinking of this?”

“Not! Long… I. Did some research.”

Silas played with his tongue while he smiled. Her eyes zeroed in on the movement. “So you want me to make you feel good.” He brushed her hair off her shoulder. “Make you whimper and moan…” He pressed a feather light kiss to just under her ear. “So I can lick-” His tongue curled around the shell of her ear. “-every sound out of your mouth.” He stood back, already satisfied with the pink of her cheeks and her heaving breath. “Is that right?”

With heavy-lidded eyes, Temperance nodded.

“Good.” He let his fingertips trail up her arms and even though she was wearing a jacket, her skin tingled where he touched. “I just need you...” He grasped her shoulders, shaking her to loosen her stiff posture. “To relax.”

The sexy mood was broken, but Temperance did laugh. Then he wiggled her again. She was confused until she followed his eyeline to her chest. “Ugh!” Her arms shot up to cover herself.

Silas smiled from ear-to-ear. “What?” 

She supposed this was what she asked for. Silas was insufferable on a good day. What had she done? She glared at him again. “It’s just… I’ve never done anything like this.” She ignored him mouthing the word “obviously” and continued, “I mean I’ve never even kissed someone, so give me a break.”

Silas rolled his eyes. “Temperance.”

She looked up and his mouth was on hers. One of his hands had sneakily come up to cradle the back of her head or more accurately guide her to him. His lips slid across hers easily, his tongue peaked out with slow, subtle licks, teasing her until she gasped. His thumb ended up behind her ear and when he swiped down, she shivered, leaning into him. As soon as she did, he pulled away. 

Silas hummed contentedly, his eyes closed. She watched him lick his lips and her heart jumped. Temperance had read about first kisses and she was pretty sure they weren’t supposed to be like  _ that _ . Then, he turned around and plopped back into his chair.

Temperance frowned. “Is… Is that it?”

He stretched, groaning, and sank back with his book in hand. “Sure is.”

“But-” 

“Like you said, I feed off what my partner feels. I got plenty off of you.”

Her brow furrowed, bottom lip jutting out. “We didn’t have sex,” she whined.

He set his book down on his knee. “Did you  _ want _ to have sex in the library?” Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly, her blush going up to her ears from the suggestion. He returned to his book. “Then shut up.”

Temperance’s pout only grew and he laughed through his nose. She pouted all the way back to her own chair, sitting primly. “Wh-” She cut herself off, but he already heard. He wasn’t looking, but she knew he heard. “When then?”

The corners of his lips quirked as he flipped the page disinterestedly. “Soon.”

Soon. Her pulse has just started to slow down too. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone guesses who the inspiration for Silas is, you get a cookie.

Temperance didn’t know what Silas’ definition of “soon” was, but it sure as hell wasn’t anything like her definition. She thought he meant tomorrow or the next day or the next day, but it’d been days now, nearly a week (not that she was counting), and he acted like nothing had happened. She wondered if maybe the deal was off and jilted didn’t begin to cover how that felt. That’s it. Next time she saw him she was demanding sex right then and there!

Ok, yeah. She couldn’t do that. Not in a million years.

But! She would bring up their deal next time she saw him.

Yes. That she could do.

So Temperance went looking for him to make sure that the next time she saw was as soon as possible. She was so determined to find him that when she did she failed to come off as nonchalant as she imagined. She thought she could play coy, the whole “Oh, you’re here? Fancy that.” routine that she’d seen in books. Nope. She walked in on a mission, her eyes instantly focusing on him, and she noticed too late that he wasn’t alone.

Ambrosine looked over at her. She’d been in the middle of a sentence, but cut it off when Temperance entered. The room hung in silence. “...Did you need something, Temperance?”

“No.” Silas and Ambrosine were looking at her. Abort mission. Abort. Abort. “Nope. Nothing. Just…” Her eyes slid over to Silas and she cleared her throat. “Just, uh, walking. Power walking. Keeping the heart rate up. I didn’t mean to interrupt. Am I? Interrupting?”

Silas licked his lips and speaking of keeping the heart rate up. Jesus. “No,” he drawled. “In fact-” He licked his lips again and that time had to be on purpose. “-maybe you could help us settle an argument.”

Alarms went off in her head. She got big red flags that read Silas is up to something. And as much as she wanted to heed the warning, when wasn’t he up to something? Besides..., a part of her purred, this could be fun. He’d been ignoring her for five days (not that she was counting) and now she could feel the weight of his gaze on her. “O-Okay.”

Ambrosine squinted at Silas, but agreed warily, “Yeah…”

“She thinks I’ve been acting strangely. But you haven’t noticed anything strange.” His eyes bore down on her, watching her every reaction. “Have you?”

Oh. Oh.

Ambrosine knew. Ambrosine knew? Well, no. She didn’t know. Not exactly. But she was suspicious. How much did she know? And how could she know anything? Silas had only kissed her five days ago (not that she was counting) and after that, well… The manor was big enough that if you didn’t want to see someone you could easily make that happen. She frowned. Seemed like that’s what he’d been doing.

Silas snapped his fingers in front of her face. “Hello. Have ya noticed something or not?”

Upon careful contemplation, Temperance answered, her mouth slow to form the word, “No.”

Ambrosine scoffed. “See?”

Silas glared at Temperance and not the playful kind. She got the feeling he was actually irritated with her. Okay. Wrong answer, so maybe…

“It feels-” Temperance looked away from him. “-like you’re avoiding me.” She started fiddling with her jacket. “But I don’t know. That’s not really all that strange. I mean, it’s not like we talk or anything. It’s not like we’re together, you know. That’d be crazy. ‘Cause we’re not. At all. We’re not together.”

Ambrosine’s head tilted. “Okay. Now you’re acting weird.”

Silas sighed, looking up to the ceiling. “She’s always been weird.” He looked back down at Temperance and nudged her foot with his. “I’m not avoiding you. That would require caring about where you are and I don’t. If we haven’t been around each other lately...? I haven’t noticed.”

Temperance looked up at him, glaring at him with glassy eyes. She wouldn’t say it with Ambrosine there, but she hoped he got it: Deal’s off. Then she stomped out of the room.

Ambrosine slapped his arm. “Why are you such a dick?”

Silas chewed his lip. “Aren’t I always?”

The next day, he found her in the kitchen. It was the afternoon and everyone was busy doing this or that. Len had noticed Temperance’s sour mood and invited her to yoga in the park, but she didn’t want to be in the bright, cheery sun. She wanted to pout, eat a sandwich, and pout some more. When she saw him, she ignored him, but wanting to scream at someone made ignoring them hard.

“What do you want?”

Silas shrugged. “Nothing.”

She looked at him, measuring him up, trying to figure out his game. He didn’t look sorry. In fact, he was smiling, no, smirking, at her. She angrily assembled her sandwich.

“You know…” She heard his footsteps, one after the other, closer and closer. “Sex can be a great stress reliever.”

Temperance gaped at him, sandwich forgotten. “I don’t want to have sex with you! I’m mad at you!”

Silas chuckled, bringing a hand on either side of her, trapping her between the island and him. “Angry sex is even better.”

“You’re disgusting.” She turned back to her sandwich, leaving her back to him.

He nuzzled some hair out of the way and kissed the base of her neck. “I’m sorry.”

Temperance stared forlornly at her sandwich determined not to look at the man behind her. 

“I am.” He sighed and his breath tickled the hairs on her neck. “Ambrosine was being nosy and kept picking.” He rested his chin on her shoulder. “I thought if I avoided you that no one would catch on, but fucking Ambrose has to stick her nose in everything.”

Her voice level, hardened, she said, “So you were avoiding me.”

He huffed, but eventually grumbled, “Yes.”

Slowly and still very much angry, she turned in his arms. “Why did you lie?”

“What?” he said indignantly. “Do you want her to know we’re fucking? I thought you’d want to keep this secret.”

Temperance blushed from the language and the implication, like they already had, like they surely would. The deal was never off for him, she thought. Her plan had begun and ended with propositioning him and, in all honesty, she didn’t even think she’d make it that far. He clearly was thinking steps ahead. “Should we… keep it secret?”

Silas stared at her, leaning back as far as he could without moving his hands. He searched her expression. “Should we _not_?”

Temperance fidgeted. “I don’t know… I’ve never-”

He cut her off, nodding along with the words. “Never done anything like this. I know. This.” He gestured between them. “Isn’t exactly something you broadcast.” He let his hands fall to her hips. “Not in polite society anyway.” 

She looked down at his hands. She could slap them away. She should. When she looked back at him, he did look sorry -a new look on him - so he must have expected she would. “I don’t-” She bit her lip, anger ebbing away, but still present. “I didn’t like yesterday. And I don’t like you avoiding me.” She glared up at him, a real one because she was actually angry.

Silas moved his hands off her hips about to throw them up in frustration, but he restrained himself. “Well, you’re a shit liar,” he deflected. “Might as well just tell people. As soon as I walk in a room, you get all…”

Whatever that gesture meant didn’t matter. He was wrong. “I do not get all-!” She crossed her arms and looked away defiantly. “You’re an egotistical jerk!”

“Oh, sweetheart… I’m not bragging.” First one, then the other and his hands were back on her hips. “Are you forgetting? I’m an incubus. I can feel how badly you want me. If anything, I am truly flattered.” Somewhere along the line, she’d let her arms relax. He leaned closer and she let him whisper in her ear. “Never took you for an exhibitionist...”

She shoved him away and he laughed at her scandalized expression. “You can read thoughts?”

He continued to laugh. “Certain ones. Especially ones like that.” He closed his eyes and hissed, “Damn, girl! On the island? People eat here.”

Face already aflame, Temperance turned back to her sandwich. “Yes. They do. Now if you’ll excuse me.”

Two arms came on either side of her and his body pressed against hers. “You know… I’m feeling a bit peckish myself.”

She turned her head and his face was so close. She licked her lips, preening when she saw his eyes dart down. Shakily, she responded, “Are you now?”

He hummed and pressed closer until she collided with the island. He coiled forward and she had no choice but to bend with him. She closed her eyes and would have bent until her chest pressed against the cool, steel surface, but he stopped. When she opened her eyes, he had her sandwich in one hand, humming in what seemed to be rapturous delight from a single bite.

“Hmm… this is really good.”

She could slap him. She really could. He’d taken a huge big bite too! Like a quarter of her sandwich!

Then he spun her around, ducking in a second to pick her up and put her on the island. He positioned himself between her legs and pulled her flush against him. She tried to yell at him, but his mouth was on hers next. He drank his name off her lips and without thinking, she wrapped her arms around his neck. This hum, this sound he made when she did, was so much better than the one with the sandwich.

He laughed against her lips. “That’s ‘cause you taste even better.”

“Stop... that...” she breathed between kisses.

“Hmm… Why?” His hands moved from her hips, clawing up her sides, drawing lines down her spine, while his mouth rained kisses across her jaw. “Do you have any idea what it’s like?” He sucked a spot on her neck. “It’s like you’re all over me. You...” Her shirt rode up at the waist and his fingers dug into her bare skin. She gasped, tensed, her hands dug into his shoulders. “...need to let go.”

With that, he backed away. “It’ll be better when you do,” he said with a wink. “Well…” He patted her wrists.

Oh, she was still… She jerked her arms away and hopped off the island the first chance she could. 

“Enjoy your lunch.” His back was already to her as he gave her a salute.

“Silas,” she called. She bit her lip. It felt different from how much they kissed this time. As her teeth grazed the tender flesh, she imagined him doing the same so easily, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth. Then, she watched him turn and she felt exposed, his eyes promising he would do that and more. Before she lost her nerve, even if it came out in more of a whine, she continued, “You said soon.”

Silas smiled, shaking his head. “Maybe you want this fast, but… I prefer to enjoy my meals.” His eyes pinned her in place while he looked her up and down salaciously. “I am going to have so much fun with you.”

Promise?

He shivered, closing his eyes as a glimmer of something ran across his skin. He breathed out a curse she didn’t catch. His pupils were blown, his eyes nearly black. His mouth. She was so distracted with it moving again that she didn’t catch what he said.

“...What?”

He took a deep breath like that was all he could do to restrain himself. She told her she needed to let go. What happened when he did? “I said,” he repeated. “Your room or mine?”

“What?! Um…” Her mind raced. He was thinking MANY steps ahead. Okay. Focus. “Okay. Okay. I guess… mine. Yes. Mine.”

“Yours it is. See you tonight.”

She let out a whoosh of breath when he left. She felt dizzy. Whew… Temperance turned back to her sandwich, picking it up to finally enjoy a bite. WAIT! Tonight?! She almost choked.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CHOO CHOO! All aboard the Smut Express!

Temperance paced in her room. It was only eight o’clock, but he hadn’t said a time. Just an ominously vague “tonight” and if his tonight was anything like his soon who  _ knew _ when it would be. But this was different. He looked different. This  _ felt _ different. Her stomach twisted in knots. Did her hair look nice? Did she smell okay? Maybe she should wear lingerie. Was that too much? What was she thinking?! She wasn’t ready for this!

Then another part of her screamed twenty-three years and you’re not ready? And yeah, maybe that voice was kind of right. She needed to calm down. This was two people helping each other out. She scratched his back and he’d scratch hers. Hmm… Would he really scratch hers? Maybe if she was on top, he-

“Okay. I can’t do this.” She made it to her door, ready to barrel out, but she went right back to pacing. “No. I can do this. It’s fine. It’s going to be fine.”

What if she was terrible? What if she was downright awful? Most people her age would have had some practice by now. What if she did everything wrong? What if she ruined it?

_ Knock. Knock. _

“Co-” Her voice was a shrill squeak. She cleared her throat. “Come in.”

Len peaked through the door. “Temperance? You feeling better?”

Yes and no. “Um… Kind of.”

“Do you want to talk about it yet?”

**_This_ ** _ isn’t exactly something you broadcast. _ Silas was right. Temperance smiled and shook her head. “No. I’ll be okay. Promise.”

“...Okay. If you say so. But you know you can talk to me about anything, right?”

“Right.”

“Okay.” That satisfied Len enough. For now. “Goodnight,” she said and closed the door behind her.

Alone again, Temperance went back to pacing.

_ Knock. Knock. _

“Len, I’m  _ fine _ . I told you-”

“Told me what?” Silas purred.

Okay, now she seriously wasn’t turning around. Did he freaking teleport?!

“Relax, sweetheart.”

See, he said that, but he said it while locking the door and that was not conducive to relaxation.

“If you’re gonna go all stiff on me, I can leave.”

“Don’t-!” She turned, ready to rush to stop him, but he was right where he’d always been, with no intention of leaving. “I’m… nervous.”

He laughed, eyeing the marks she’d made in the carpet. “I see that.”

“I never-” She cut herself off. He was probably sick of hearing her say that, so why bother?

Silas took a deep breath through his nose, looking over her room, walking around. It was still pretty bare. She knew she could decorate it, but the Order never allowed that so it was hard to grow past old habits, hard to express herself. She had everything she needed and that should be enough. Everyone seemed to think she needed more, but what if she dug deep and there was nothing there? What if she was as empty as the walls? They should have done this in his room.

“It smells nice in here,” he said after his appraisal. He ended up at her side. He looked at her curiously and then bent to smell her hair. He stood up, smiling. “It’s you.”

Temperance pulled her hair in front of her face to smell it. It was nice. Kind of. Maybe she was just used to it. She shrugged.

Silas laughed. “Not your shampoo.  _ You _ .” His eyes were dark again and she gulped.

“Me?”

Delicately, he touched her hip, turning her towards him. Without thinking, when he stepped forward, she stepped back. “You,” he said and she realized he had guided her to the bed. “Sit.”

Temperance obeyed, her mind racing, heart pounding. Where would he put his hands? His mouth? How would it feel when his-? 

Silas closed his eyes to take a centering breath.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he said, his eyes still closed. Maybe he enjoyed what he saw. She hoped so. “Like I said. It’s flattering.” He opened his eyes with a sigh. “I know what you fantasize about, but I think we’ll start slow.”

Temperance whined. “But you said-!”

He shut her up with a kiss which was becoming a habit. He leaned down, forcing her to lie back on the bed and once she did, he crawled on top of her, caging her in. While his tongue coaxed her mouth open until he could plunder inside, his hands got busy with the hem of her shirt. He pulled it up, not much, just a few inches, but she felt his bare hands on her and she panted into his mouth.

“You can touch me.” His voice was breathy as he kissed down her neck. She’d never heard him like that. “Temperance… Touch me.” Not waiting for her to comply, he pried her hands off the bed sheets and put them on his shoulders.

He licked her neck, sucking and nibbling greedily, and her fingers clawed into him. He moaned into her shoulder and she cried out. “Fuck, yes,” he hissed. “That’s a good girl. Let go.”

She whimpered at his praise, rubbing her thighs together. He was straddling her and she wanted so badly to have him between her legs, to grind onto him. No sooner did she think it was he changing their position, wrapping her legs around his hips, pressing into her and…

“Fuck!” she gasped. 

He chuckled darkly into her throat, preening at her thoughts as he ground his hard cock against her. “Hmm, yes… I can’t wait to bury myself in you.” He licked the shell of her ear, dragged his teeth down. “Fuck, you’re going to feel so good.”

She pawed at him now, desperate, hips canting upward for more friction. “Si-... Silas.”

“Shh,” he cooed. His skin rippled, shimmering. “Let me take care of you.”

Temperance shook her head. No. Too slow. More. She started pulling her shirt up, shimmying out of his reach so she could take it off. He immediately licked and kissed her collarbones, working his way down to her breasts. Her hand carded through his hair, holding him there. He told her to touch him, she reasoned.

“Hmm…” He watched her face as his fingertip grazed the edge of her bra. She looked down at him, biting her lip, and even if he couldn’t read her deliciously dirty thoughts, he would have known exactly what she wanted. He pulled the cups down, one hand working her nipple to a peak while his mouth latched onto the other.

“Yes!” she cried and her body sang to him. How had he ever fed before? How would he ever feed again?

Eventually, too soon if her whimpers were anything to go by, he moved down her body. He licked and kissed down her chest, nibbling at her hip bones, making her squeal and writhe. His mouth ended at her pants and his hands slid down her body until one settled on her hip, fingers crooking into the fabric, and the other pulled down the zipper. 

He leaned back from her, taking her legs off of him, so he could get her pants all the way off and that’s when he saw her nerves come up again. She didn’t look at him which was a shame. He loved watching her face twist in pleasure, her eyes grow heavy with desire. Offending clothing gone, he settled back between her legs, but she didn’t wrap them around him with the same urgency.

He kissed her. Softly. Softer than he had before now that he thought about it, but it had the desired effect, she coiled around him, hesitant but close. “What is it?”

“It’s-” Temperance looked down at her plain panties and shook her head. “I’m sorry. I should have worn lingerie.”

Silas laughed through his nose. Back to kissing her. His lips slid along her jaw and down. “Next time,” he breathed into her neck.

Next time? She imagined him undressing her and finding something impossibly skimpy and lacy, maybe something with straps.

He moaned and sucked hard, licking the spot in contrition. “Definitely next time,” he growled.

Okay, growling was unfairly hot. She was already wet. Could he feel it? She must be dripping.

He groaned, slipping a hand between her legs. “You  _ are _ dripping. Is that all for me, sweetness?”

Temperance threw her head back, gasping and whimpering while he ground his hand into her mound. Her hands went back to clawing the sheets.

“Look at you… All spread out for me.” His hand rubbed up and down, up and down, never enough pressure. She needed more. 

“Silas…”

He bit his lip, smirking while a ripple passed over his skin. “How many times have you rubbed your pussy just like this and dreamt it was me?”

A strangled cry tore out from her throat.

His pupils were blown and his skin shimmered. “How many times did you cum for me?”

“Fuck, Silas! Please…”

His laugh echoed like wind chimes. “Begging already?” He tutted, “ No, no, no. You don’t mean it yet.”

“Please!” Her hips jerked up into his hand. “Please…”

He growled, unable to stop from smiling, from preening from the attention. “Please what?”

Her chest heaving, she licked her lips, looking up at him and begging, “Please touch me.”

“I am touching you.” With that reminder, he pressed just a little harder, his fingertips dipping, kept at bay by her soaked panties.

“Please!” Then her hands shot up and she started pulling her panties down, shimmying away, when he grabbed both her wrists.

“Nuh uh.” Only when she stopped squirming, her arms relaxing in his grip, only then did he release her. “You’re a big girl. Use your words.”

Did Silas always look… crystal-y? And his voice. It was like she could hear it in her head. It sent shivers down her spine. Fuck. She quaked under him. Her mouth felt dry, licking her lips did little to fix it. “I… I want you to finger me. Please?” She ground her hips against him.

He growled low and she saw him change, felt him inside her like he was more than in her head. Every sound he made reverberated inside her being, electrifying her skin, making her squirm.

“Please... Silas… I need you.” He pulled her panties to the side and her head tossed side to side. “Yes. Yes. Yes.”

She couldn’t focus on anything but what he was doing to her. This was just his fingers. She’d touched herself in the past, but her fingers never felt like this, never hit the spots he was hitting. They crooked inside her and she bucked. His thumb brushed her clit with each thrust.

“Oh, God! Silas! Don’t stop!”

Temperance’s whole body tensed as she came. His hand never stopped pumping into her, milking every last bit of her that she was willing to give. As she came down, she touched a palm to her heart. She could feel it hammering through her chest like it wanted to escape. She let her breath settle, sighing happily.

Silas heaved. Temperance sat up on her elbows just in time to watch him as he sucked his fingers clean. His skin shimmered and rippled and if her heart wanted out, then his  _ something _ wanted out. She was a little frightened, sure, but also incredibly turned on. 

“...Silas?”

He looked at her, his fingers, freshly cleaned, dragged down his lips.

“Do you… Do you always get like that?”

She was gesturing to him and he looked down, inspecting the shimmer of his skin, twisting his arms. Palm up. Palm down. He closed his eyes and took a breath.

Now, she was worried. Was this normal? She was pretty sure this wasn’t normal. “Silas?”

He opened his eyes again, blinking as the shimmer faded away until it was like it was never there. “I’m okay,” he reassured her in his normal voice.

Danger passed, Temperance playfully pouted and scooted on her knees closer to him. “I kind of liked it.”

He traced his fingertips up her side, making her giggle. He pinched her chin, fully ready to nip that pouty lip if she didn’t put it away. “Liked what?”

“The whole  _ rawr _ thing.” She mimed claws while she said it and he laughed. “You didn’t answer me though. Does it happen every time?”

“Huh. I don’t know.”

Temperance frowned. “What do you mean you don’t know?”

He chuckled again, pulling her (very nearly) completely naked body against him. He kissed her cheek, then her jaw, then her neck. This must be his favorite, Temperance thought and she wasn’t complaining. 

“I mean…” He sucked on her once again rising pulse. “I don’t know.”

“Well… Ah!” She needed to focus. Talking required focus. But one hand was back on her breast and his mouth was doing sinful things to her neck. “Did… Did it- hah!…. Did it happen... the other times... you had sex?”

He let his mouth come off her with a pop. He bit back his lips, sucking them into his mouth, while he eyed her.

With no distractions now, because he had unfairly, nay, unjustly stopped, Temperance was quick to prod, “Did it?”

“I don’t know...,” he drawled, teasing her once again as he thought it over. “You can’t keep a secret.”

“Yes, I can! I totally can!”

“ _ You _ …” His hands settled back on her hips and he rubbed them back and forth, meeting at her spine before moving back to her sides. “Are a terrible liar, so, no, you’re not good at keeping secrets.”

“That’s not fair!”

One hand swept around to grab her bare ass. He squeezed it, pulling her up to him. “You better put that lip away, sweetheart.”

Her heart raced from that, but she stayed firm. “Why won’t you tell me?”

Silas rolled his eyes and released her and even though she’d been naked for a while, she actually felt naked now. She fixed her bra and started looking for her panties. Silas didn’t look at her while she got dressed.

“Same time, next week?” he asked from the door.

“You don’t-? I mean, I didn’t-” Temperance stopped and told herself that if she could cum on the guy’s fingers, she could talk to him about this. “What about you?”

He shrugged. “I fed. I’m fine.”

Temperance bit her lip. She knew that was the deal and all, but… She smiled, toying with the sheets. “I could-”

He cut her off. “I’m  _ fine _ . Let me know when you wanna do this next.”

Then, she was alone and the empty walls of her room reflected a lot about how she felt.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all don't understand how much I love these idiots.

Temperance didn’t know what to do. She thought about apologizing, but… Maybe he had been right before. When he walked in a room, her heart got all mushy. And when he looked at her? Her legs shook and her tongue went all loosey goosey, so words would probably be an issue. 

Len, who didn’t usually spend time in the library, had come with Temperance today. She’d chosen the seat closest to the window, part of her still yearning to be outside, no doubt. Temperance fought the urge to snap at her friend, “Just leave if you want!” She knew none of this was Len’s fault. She just got all prickly when he ignored her or, the more recent development, when she ignored him.

It’d been three days of her pretending she didn’t want to talk to him. In her brief glances in his direction, Silas hadn’t looked affected. He was better suited for this. Temperance couldn’t stop her foot from bouncing as she, once again, went over what exactly she would say to him. Whatever she ended up saying needed to be direct and clear. There was obviously some miscommunication before, so this needed to fix it.

“Temperance?” Len’s soft voice distracted Temperance from her thoughts. “Do you… want to talk about it yet?”

Temperance wanted to frown angrily, but then Len  _ really _ wouldn’t let it go.  _ You... are a terrible liar. _ She felt phantom limbs circle her waist and hated how even the memory gave her goosebumps. What did he know? She schooled her face into a neutral expression. “I’m okay. I’m reading.” She looked back down to her book. “Did you want to talk?”

Len sighed and leaned back in her chair, soaking in the sun she could get. Good, Temperance thought. It worked.

“You haven’t turned the page.” Len let the statement hang, waiting until Temperance looked up to continue, “The book you’re reading? You haven’t turned the page the whole time we’ve been here.”

“Y-Yes, I have!”

One half of Len’s mouth quirked up. “No, you haven’t.” She bounced up from her seat to stand in front of Temperance with her hands on her hips. “Come on. What’s going on?”

“Nothing!” Temperance looked away, bunching her shoulders by her ears. Her book was forgotten as she tucked her legs underneath her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. There’s nothing going on. I don’t have anything to add to this conversation since there is nothing, so if you’ll excuse me-” Temperance snatched her book back up and used it to shield her face.

Len pushed the book down. “Temperance…”

Temperance pouted, hating that Silas was absolutely right: she was a terrible liar. “Len!” she whined her friend’s name, drawing it out as she let her head fall forward. “I think Silas is mad at me.”

Temperance heard Len laugh, a tiny little, amused puff. “Is that it?”

Not exactly. “Yeah…” Temperance groaned, hugging her knees up to her chest.

Len touched Temperance’s shoulder. “You can’t worry about Silas being mad at you.” 

Len was such a good friend and Temperance was lying to her. Starting to talk about all this was more than she could handle. Her eyes -against her permission, mind you!- started to water.

“Oh, honey…” Len forced her way onto Temperance’s chair. There wasn’t a lot of room, but they made it work. She rested her head on Temperance’s shoulder. “Forget about it. Who cares if he’s mad at you? He’s kind of a dick.”

“No, he’s not,” Temperance weakly argued.

“He’s not?” Len laughed. “Temperance, he likes pissing people off. He told me he does. He said something about it being like potato chips. It’s his junk food.” Len wiggled so she was sideways and could hug Temperance. “If he’s mad? Good. You gave him a taste of his own medicine.”

Temperance wanted to let this comfort her, but Len’s info was off, so this well-meaning talk missed its mark.

“What happened anyway?” Len asked and Temperance stiffened in her arms. “Why would he be mad at you?”

Don’t panic! Do not panic! This is fine. Just… don’t lie, her mind supplied unhelpfully. “I…” Temperance bit her lip, trying to find the best, true, but not damning words. She spoke slowly and carefully. “We were talking. And… I… I kept pushing him to tell me…”

When Temperance didn’t start up right away, Len asked, “Tell you what?”

Temperance remembered how his skin shimmered like he was ethereal, how his eyes, pupils blown wide, were focused on her as his fingers dragged down his lips. He had licked them clean after making her cum. _ Do you always get like that?  _

Temperance cleared her throat. She felt like she was burning up. She wiggled out of Len’s grasp just in case she really was, in case Len would know, to stand on wobbly knees. “It’s personal.”

Len looked up at her friend with widened eyes. Temperance knew what she was already thinking, “Personal to her or personal to him?” But Len was respectful and sometimes, even when she knew Temperance was lying, she went with it.

“I see,” Len said with a sage nod. “Have you talked to him since?”

“No,” Temperance moaned. “Every time I’m in the same room as him, I-” She cut off her gushy rant. “I… No. I haven’t.”

A tiny smile cracked Len’s calm, collected therapist/mom act. “You should talk to him.” With a determined nod, she was back in the game, “Say you’re sorry for pushing him and that you will respect his boundaries in the future.”

Temperance nodded. Direct. Clear. “Okay.” She was still nodding. “Okay. I’m just gonna… Find him. And… Say that.”

“Yes.” Len nodded with a wide smile. 

“Yes.” Temperance nodded. Still nodding. Now they were both doing it. Just nodding to each other.

“Is there a reason y’all look like a couple of chickens?” Silas said from behind Temperance.

Len must have seen him coming! How dare she not warn her? Traitor! Temperance wobbled, fighting the shivers she felt knowing he was so close to her.

Luckily Len spoke up for them. “It’s fun!” she reasoned, nodding more dramatically and even bobbing her head. “You should try it.”

“I’ll pass,” he said dryly, walking past Temperance.

Len shot Temperance a look. Do it.

Temperance shook her head.

Another look. Come on!

Temperance shook her head again, frantically. Silas turned in time to catch her doing it. He opened his mouth to say something, but Temperance cut him off, “I’m sorry for pushing you and I will respect your boundaries in the future! Whew…”

Len gave Temperance a thumbs up even though she had said it all as one long word and so fast that Silas took a second to decipher what she’d said.

Once he did, he looked between Temperance and Len. “You…” He smirked, gesturing between him and Temperance. “You told her about us? See? This is why I didn’t tell you. You can’t keep secrets.” There wasn’t any bite behind his words and his smile had only grown.

Temperance was thrilled seeing him so happy with her. Really, she was. She had been so worried that how they left it the other night would be how they left it forever. But! 

“I…” Temperance winced as if pained. “I didn’t tell her that part.”

“...What?”

Temperance too would have been thrilled to see Silas embarrassed since he always acted so cool, but, with the circumstances as they were,  _ she _ was too embarrassed to enjoy it.

“It’s fine,” Len breezed with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I already knew.”

“What?!” Silas and Temperance said in unison.

Len shrugged with a happy, sunshine grin on her face. “You guys weren’t exactly quiet.”

“You heard us?!” Temperance rushed over to her now giggling friend, shaking her by the shoulders. “How much did you hear?

“Relax,” Len said when she caught her breath. “I wasn’t listening in. But I heard…” She fought back a fit of giggles. “Enough.”

“Enough?” Temperance wailed, leaving Len to instead cover her face with her hands. Without her sight to distract her, Temperance noticed another sound in the mix of Len’s glee: Silas. He was laughing too. She slapped his chest. “Shut up!

Silas grabbed her wrist, subtly running his thumb across her pulse. No! She was mad at him. He was laughing at her. She pouted angrily at him. With hold of her wrist, he pulled her into him, whispering, “What did I say before?” He kissed the side of her mouth. “Put that lip away…”

Len wolf-whistled and fanned herself. “Didn’t think I’d get a show too.”

Temperance buried her face in his chest. “I hate my life,” she mumbled into his shirt.

Len stood, clapping her hands on her thighs. “Well! My work here is done.”

“Thanks, Len,” Silas called back to her, but he was busy looking at the top of Temperance’s head.

Len watched him smiling down at her friend and smiled herself. “No problem. Don’t worry. Your secret’s safe with me.” She zipped her lips and left.

Temperance groaned into his chest. “You were right.”

Somewhere along the line, he’d begun rubbing her back and he absolutely glowed from her admission. “Was I now?”

She looked up at him with a frown, her chin digging into him. “I’m a bad liar.”

Silas snorted, his hands pausing their patterns. “Didn’t you know that already?”

“Yeah, but-! I didn’t think I was  _ that _ bad.”

“Oh, you are. You’re god awful.” She moved to faceplant into his chest again, but he pulled her chin up. “Shut up. It’s cute.” He pecked her on the lips and let her go. 

Temperance smiled, messing with her lips to keep it from growing too much. She fiddled with her hair, coiling a curl around her finger. “You think it’s cute?”

Silas rolled his eyes. He grabbed her shoulders to stop her and that dopey swaying she was doing. “Yes. I think you’re cute.”

You’re cute.  _ You’re _ . “...Really?”

Silas’ face scrunched in confusion. “You think I’d do this with someone ugly?”

She shrugged and looked away. “I don’t know.”

He let go of her shoulders. “I wouldn’t.”

“Oh.” Temperance was back to biting her smile.

Silas left her to get the book he came for and he went to the couch to read it. Temperance noticed that some days he would read there instead of the chair. He’d kick his shoes off, spread out. It was days that he stayed longer. She liked those days.

“Silas?” He looked at her like he’d expected her to call out, his smile saying what took you so long? “Can we read... together?” 

That wasn’t the question he was expecting, but she was already walking towards him, already bending to sit down. 

“Is this allowed?”

Silas didn’t know what she meant. Allowed. Then, he realized,  _ remembered _ , what they were: friends with benefits. And they’d barely been friends before. This wasn’t a fwb thing. This was a couple thing. What would she know? She’d never dated. How could she have? She’d never kissed anyone before him and who would date her and not kiss her? 

He scooted deeper into the couch, didn’t move his legs from laying, so Temperance stopped, ready to give him his space. Of course. This was a transaction. A deal. Cuddling on a couch wasn’t part of the deal. Read together. Pfft! How transparent could she be? She didn’t even bring a book!

Then his hand tugged her hip, urging her to sit. Happily, she did, but there wasn’t enough room to sit regularly. He kept her too far from the back of the couch, she couldn’t lean back. She wiggled her hips, trying to get comfortable.

“Will you lay down already?” Silas griped.

Lay... down? She imagined the plush material of the couch under her bare skin. His naked body pressed up against hers. He hadn’t even taken his shirt off last time and she wanted to see all of him.

Suddenly, his arm was snaked around her waist. She squeaked as he pulled her down, pressing his chest into her back. He nipped at her neck. “I’m  _ trying _ to read,” he warned and Temperance could hear just a hint of the growls she’d heard before.

“I can’t help my thoughts,” she pleaded innocently while her hips pressed back into him oh so subtly.

He took a deep breath, his sigh coating her skin, while one hand took her hip. “I am getting the impression that you want to fuck in the library.” He pressed into her harder, guiding her back into him.

No! Her hips stopped. They could get caught! They already kind of did get caught and that was with Len and that was bad enough.

“So stop,” he said smugly. Then he kissed her neck, let her hips go, and settled on his back on the couch.

“You’re mean,” she pouted, even as she shifted to lay her head on his chest.

“Shh. I’m reading.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >_> My friends are reading this, BUT NOT LEAVING COMMENTS! ...Rude. What you don't like my porn or something?? RUDE.

Temperance, the terrible liar that she was, was at the very least getting a better poker face. Silas seemed endeavored to make that happen. He’d gotten in the habit of touching her ever so slightly, sliding past her ever so closely, and, worst or possibly best of all, he would give her a look that Temperance only associated with him making her writhe and beg.  _ Use your words _ . 

“Temperance?” Gettler asked, her voice wobbly and self-conscious. “Where’d you go? Thought I lost you there for a bit.” She combed her fingers through her platinum blonde hair while she forced a nervous laugh.

Silas smirked at Temperance. She glared (subtly) at him. He shrugged and played it off, like he was innocent, like he hadn’t been eye fucking her. Language, he mouthed. Temperance turned her nose up at him.

“Sorry, Gettler. My mind’s kind of-” Babbling, she warned herself mentally. Bad liars do that. She shook it off. “Bleh! Forget it. Continue. Please.”

Gettler didn’t need to be told twice, she immediately launched into her latest research. Despite Temperance’s earlier distraction, this did fascinate her. She had spent her life reading and cataloging, but Gettler did something with it all. She was a mad scientist. Temperance admired that about her.

Silas’s fingers at her elbow jerked her out of the conversation again. She’d been mid-sentence when he touched her and he chuckled, softly, so quietly only she could hear because he was  _ so CLOSE _ . She’d never thought of her elbow as erogenous. 

Boldly, she turned to face him. Something needed to be done. He was a monster. Did he want this secret or not? “Ca-Can I help you?”

His eyes stared to look down her body, but remembering their company, stopped short. “Nope. Just passing through.” 

He didn’t move though. She didn’t move either. They were very close. Temperance looked at his lips, licking her own.

Gettler looked from Temperance to Silas. “Anyway, Temperance-” The little scientist went on with her plan to harvest magic from one source to power another. Temperance was shocked. She broke away from Silas, out of courtesy, to listen. If Gettler was going to ignore  _ that _ then she could listen to this. “...Like I said not all sources are volatile. Take Silas for instance!” 

“Me?” Silas griped, unhappy that the conversation was going on, let alone that now he was part of it. He wanted to sneak Temperance away. He hadn’t fed in a week. Making out and groping her was extremely satisfying, a part of him purred. But it wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted to see her under him again, her skin all flushed, her breasts heaving as she panted for him. Temperance was looking at him. And that pretty little mouth… She worried her lip as she watched him. He wanted to see it screaming again.

Temperance felt dizzy. He was giving her that look again. “...Him?” she said dreamily.

“Yeah!” Gettler rushed over to him, picking up Silas’ arm like he was that creepy skeleton in her room. “Take-!” He jerked away from her, she continued. “Take Silas. He’s an incubus. They get their nourishment from human emotions, primarily and ideally lust, which they get from their targets. Their bodies are even suited for…” 

While Gettler paused to find the right words, Temperance thought about exactly what his body was suited for. Oh no. The look!

“Let’s say! Facilitating an easier feeding process.”

Gettler was talking. Crap. She missed it. “What?”

Gettler’s head swiveled between Silas and Temperance, her hands up in surrender which, to Temperance, looked more aimed at Silas. “I’m not saying anything bad! It’s-” She combed through her hair again. “It’s your- uh,  _ their _ biology. They have an innate power of compulsion which is, um… suited to... their needs, given that their true forms can… be… unsettling.” Gettler ended up looking at the floor by the end of it, rubbing a red patch into the back of her neck.

Temperance frowned in thought. “I don’t think-” She cleared her throat, amending what she almost said out loud. “That doesn't sound bad.”

“It’s not!” Gettler agreed readily, her head snapping up. Her eyes darted to Silas just once. “It’s not. Um, but… anyway… Um. Succubi do not deplete themselves by using their compulsion. They could use it all the time. Forever. No consequences. Uh! To their own being, that is. They’d probably kill a lot of people, if that were the case.”

Temperance tilted her head. This was fascinating. “What do you mean?”

Silas instantly noticed when Temperance took a step forward, a step away from him. He wanted to grab Gettler by the neck of her shitty collared shirt and throw her across the room. But how would Temperance like that? She was already afraid of him now. Fucking perfect.

Gettler pushed her glasses up, laughing nervously. “Oh! Well, one could assume that if an incubus was not keeping their compulsion in check that they are feeding beyond what is necessary for survival. Their targets, in this scenario, presumably multiple, would likely not survive.”

Temperance nodded. She followed that logic, but- “Why wouldn’t they survive?”

“Succubi are nourished by the life force in their targets obtained via an emotional bond. In this scenario, the incubus would be taking more than can be regenerated by the target.”

“They’d suck the life out of them.”

“Exactly!” Gettler beamed.

Fascinating! “Silas, did you know-?” Temperance turned and her smile faded away. He was gone. 

Gettler’s head bowed in apology. “I shouldn’t have used a live example. He already doesn’t like me. He likes you though!”

Temperance frowned. When did he leave?

“Maybe  _ you _ can convince him to help with our research,” Gettler suggested. “I’d like to test him.”

“Uh…” Jesus! Gettler really was a mad scientist. Temperance put on her best poker face. “Maybe. I’m just gonna go… find him.”

“Yeah! But don’t ask him right away. I need to get supplies.”

“I will not,” Temperance said, already heading out in pursuit.

Where did he go? Okay. If I was Silas, where would I be? Her unhelpful brain supplied that he would be near her. That had been the case as of late. “Stupid brain. Think. Think.”

Theo! Theo, the (creepy) kindly woman that she was, would surely help Temperance in her search. Temperance jogged up to her.

“Theo!” Temperance chirped. The sound was grating even to herself. She dropped the voice. “Have you seen Silas?”

Theo’s wrinkles deepened, the ones around her eyes coming out in full force, as she smiled warmly. “I haven’t. But if I had to guess, I’d say he’s in his room.”

Temperance didn’t like how much Theo knew. Even now, the old woman smiled at her like she was in on this and every secret. Creepier still was that she phrased things with “if I had to guess” or “I believe” or “perhaps”. All thoughtful looks too like she had to think about it. Like she didn’t know.

“...Thanks.” Temperance felt like her tone had been too harsh so she gave Theo a big smile before she left.

Okay. Silas’ room. She knew vaguely where it was. She knew the general vicinity. She knew… It was definitely this way. Or this way? Dammit. She was turned around. She put her hands up, making ‘L’s with her thumbs and pointer fingers. That helped in the Athenaeum when she was little. Wait…

“This is just left or right!” Temperance cried, dropping her hands and stomping with her feet with a pout. “Silas, you jerk… Where are you?”

The door at her left opened and she yelped in surprise.

“What are you getting on about out here?”

Temperance’s face erupted in a smile. “Silas!” She launched herself at him, hugging tight. “I found you!”

Her loud and blatant show of affection was sure to catch someone’s attention. “Come on,” he whispered. “Get in.”

He shut the door behind them and Temperance forgot what she came for. This was deja vu, but reversed, she thought. Everything was neat and tidy. The walls were bare. His room was as empty as hers. Temperance bit back a smile, her heart fluttering for some reason.

Silas had expected this. He didn’t think it would happen immediately after Gettler’s little exposé, but Temperance had said before that she wanted things fast like a bandaid. So maybe she was right. Maybe quick would be better. Then, she turned around and her shy smile struck him.

She swayed on her feet dopily. “I like your room.”

Guarded, he shrugged like he would any other day. “Thanks.” He was taking her lead. Quick. Painless. “Why are you here?”

“You left.” Temperance noticed now the distance between them. This was the most distance, he’d allowed them in the past week. She closed it. “Why did you leave?”

Silas tried to compute that she was here, curling up against him.

Temperance bit her lip, unsure of what to do. Len was good at comforting. What would Len do? Temperance kept her voice soft and gentle. “Did talking about succubi bother you?” 

“No,” Silas answered easily, but she heard something off, something different.

“Yes, it did!” Temperance bounced on her feet, squeezing his waist. “Now who’s the bad liar?”

“Still you.”

“Hey!” Temperance pouted. “I’m getting better.” He snorted and she slapped his chest. “I  _ am _ .”

He laughed in full, catching the hand at his chest and holding it there. His fingers curved around hers so easily. She could feel his heart like this. Why did she come here? Oh, yeah!

“I’m sorry,” she said.

Silas didn’t look at her, trying to maintain his nonchalant demeanor, but his hands had other plans. His thumb rubbed up and down on the hand at his chest. His other hand wrapped possessively around her waist.

“I should have realized you didn’t like it.”

He rolled his eyes. “You can talk about whatever you want.”

“I know… But. I don’t like upsetting you.” Before he could say again that he was not upset, she added, “You left. I don’t like when you leave.”

Silas laughed through his nose. This was not what he expected. The opposite actually. He looked down at her and she looked up at him. She was honest with him. He could see it in her eyes. He kissed her, short and sweet, before he got greedy. “I’m sorry.”

“So you admit it…” She smirked. “You were upset.”

Silas sighed. Good Lord, this woman would be the death of him. “I was irritated, yeah.”

“Why?”

Silas broke away from her and threw his arms up. “I don’t know! You and Gettler gabbin’ away the whole time. Then she’s poking and prodding at me like a goddamn guinea pig. And you’re eating up everything she says. With you all over her, what was the point in me being there?”

Temperance snorted, holding in laughter.

He glared. “What? What is so funny?”

Once she had control of herself, she shrugged. “Nothing. It sounds like… It sounds like you’re jealous.”

The distance between them was gone in a flash. He pulled her into him, molding her chest to his. “I am not jealous.”

Temperance’s smile grew while her skin began to flush. “Now you’re acting jealous.”

Maybe it was because he needed to feed, maybe it was because she was right, but Silas needed her now. And once he took her shirt off, she got the message. She started pulling him towards the bed and he reveled in that turn of events. 

He groped her tits, still confined in her bra, feeling her nipples start to peak. She leaned into his touch. His mouth trailed down her neck and he pulled the cups of her bra down to feel more. She wiggled under him and slid the straps down her shoulders, tossing her now unhooked bra to the side.

Silas guided her onto the bed, so she sat at the edge while he licked and sucked down her chest. Her fingernails dug into his scalp and he moaned into her skin. To think there had been a time when she wouldn’t touch him. Now her greedy hands didn’t leave him. One hand snaked between his legs to rub his hardening cock.

He hissed, feeling himself pulse at her touch. He let his forehead rest against her chest as his skin rippled, his panting breaths beating against her skin, wet from his mouth and deliciously cooled with each of his sounds. Temperance bit her lip and pressed, feeling him get even harder. She moved to undo his fly, but he caught her hand.

“Easy there, princess.” He sounded ragged. His eyes were blown already and his skin held a glimmer of  _ something _ and it made Temperance’s toes curl.

“Why?” she pouted, making sure to stick her bottom lip extra out as she looked up at him through her lashes.

“Because…,” he purred, ignoring her bait and focusing on his task. Since the task was removing all remaining clothing, Temperance was happy to go along with it. “I’m not on the menu.” He tossed her socks away and walked his fingers back up her legs until he reached her fly. With a rough tug, she was bare to him. “You are.”

Temperance whimpered as his thumbs pressed into her inner thigh, circling higher and higher. She was so embarrassed to have him watching her, watching  _ that _ part of her. Her pussy clenched and he licked his lips.

“Stop… looking at it.” She looked away from him, closing her legs the tiniest bit in an effort to hide.

Silas laughed darkly as he dropped to his knees. She really tried to close her legs, but his hands at her knees forced her open. “I’m gonna do more than look.”

Temperance tried to scoot away, tried to get her legs back. “Silas.”

“Shh....” He kissed the inside of her thigh.

She pulled his head up until he was way past  _ that _ area and looking at her face. She was shaking her head. “I don’t… We- You don’t have to do this.”

Conceding for now, he rested her chin just below her belly button. “What if I want to?” he asked casually.

Temperance almost choked on spit. She couldn’t breathe! She was dying.

Silas stood back up, laughing as he kissed her. “You’re okay. Deep breaths.”

Temperance frowned up at his smiling face. He looked absolutely tickled with her. See?! her mind wailed. It was only a matter of time before she ruined that. Nervously, looking at the empty walls, she suggested, “Why don’t you finger me again?”

Silas took a deep breath and moved away from her. And ruined, she thought. Right on time. Temperance tried to school her frown. Come on, poker face. She didn’t trust herself to do a good job, so she kept looking away from him.

Silas kept his arms on either side of her, supporting his weight. “Is that what you want?”

Temperance -verbal processing unavailable right now- shrugged and nodded weakly.

“Okay.” And then his hand was right at her core, circling her clit, causing her to jump and gasp. “Hmm, look at you… So responsive.” As if to prove a point, he slipped one finger inside her and her hands flew off the bed to claw at him. 

He growled in her ear, “I love making you cum. Listening to you,  _ feeling _ you.” His tongue traced her ear. “Tasting you. Fuck, you taste so good.”

Verbal processing back online. Although not at max capacity. “How… How would you know?”

Silas added another finger, plunging them deep into her, crooking them and coaxing more wetness from her core. Then, she watched, helpless and dazed from the sight, as he licked his fingers clean. The way he closed his eyes and enjoyed it made her pussy clench again, aching for something back inside her.

She was rewarded immediately, his fingers returning to her at a vicious pace. Her hips tilted towards him while she closed her eyes and held onto him for dear life. “Si-Silas!”

As quickly as he started, he stopped. Breathless, she opened her eyes to find him offering his fingers. The digits still glistened with her wetness. His heavy-lidded eyes were focused in on her mouth and before he even spoke, she found herself opening her lips. His skin shimmered, a growl brewing low in his chest, and she opened her mouth more.

Sucking his fingers, Temperance realized, was the first time he had so openly let her do something to him. He wouldn’t let her touch his cock. He wouldn’t let her do anything if it was for him. She was going to relish this moment.

She took his wrist, holding him steady while she sucked and licked his fingers, tongue flicking between the digits and swirling at his fingertips. This was easy. She imagined his cock would be harder, but she’d learn. It just felt so big when she was grinding against-

He jerked his hand away. “You…” His breathing was ragged. His voice was lower, darker. “You can’t do that.”

“Do what?” she asked innocently.

His lips crashed into hers, his teeth scraping against her bottom as he sucked it into his mouth. “You  _ know _ what,” he growled.

Temperance licked her bottom lip, reddened and plush from abuse, and smirked. “What if I want to?”

Silas glared at her, pushing her all the way down on the bed, caging her in. “You are trouble.”

“No, I’m not! I’m normal. You never let me touch you.”

His eyes went to her arms currently wrapped around his shoulders.

“You know what I mean. I want… I want to touch  _ you _ .” She let her eyes flicker down.

Silas closed his eyes and took a shaky breath, but found a center nonetheless. The shimmer of his skin faded, but didn’t completely leave. He opened his eyes to roll them at her. “And I want to lick your pussy, but you don’t see me complaining.”

That wasn’t fair! Temperance frowned even as her heart raced from what he said. “I don’t- ...What if. What if I taste weird?”

Silas laughed through his nose. “I think we both know you don’t.”

Temperance felt her skin get hot. “Okay… What if… I feel weird?” Before he could answer, she added, “Mouths and fingers are different! What if you don’t like it?”

Silas shot her an incredulous look. “So you’re doing this for me? Is that it?”

“...Yes.”

“You are just a god awful liar.” Silas kissed her nose and smiled down at her. She squeaked in offense, so he kissed her jaw in apology. Then he kept kissing down her neck because… “Look. I didn’t want to bring this up, but… it’s been a week.”

“A week?” Temperance was having trouble following what with him kissing her again. His tongue flicked against her collarbone and she almost forgot what words were.

“I need to feed,” he sighed into her. With his chest pressed against her naked body, she could feel him growling.

“Oh,” she managed weakly, melting into his touch.

“I can’t… This isn’t enough anymore. I  _ need _ you to cum.”

All she could do was gasp and keen while his hands worked over her body and his mouth seared kissed into her skin. Her hands had bunched up his shirt. She only noticed once her fingers touched bare skin. Then, she pulled it up more, bunching it around him until his movement was restricted.

He broke away from her, ripping his shirt off to return to her. Feeling her bare chest against his, something rumbled in him. Temperance thought it sounded a lot like a purr. She decided she really liked that sound and wondered what other sounds he could make.

“Fuck,” he panted. “You don’t know what you do to me.”

His skin rippled and glinted in the light. Temperance thought she had some idea. She loved seeing him like this, unbridled and wild. She had thought it frightened her, but that wasn’t quite right anymore. It excited her.

Temperance screamed when he pulled her legs open and put them on his shoulders. “Silas!”

Then his mouth was on her pussy, sucking her clit and swirling the sensitive bud. Her back arched off the bed, his hands on her hips, the only thing keeping her from jolting away. He licked a broad stripe up her, dipping just the tip of his tongue inside her, before returning to her clit.

The feeling was so intense. So much. “Too much,” she panted even as her hands came to card themselves in his hair. The purring sound was back. He hummed and moaned into her pussy like she was the best meal he’d ever had. “Hmm… Fuck! Yes!”

She hissed his name and he shivered. She was already so close. He could feel it. God, this is what he needed. He ground his hips into the bed, aching for some kind of friction. “That’s it…” He ignored how his voice echoed, focused instead on how he could  _ feel _ her, all of her. He could feel how badly she wanted this, wanted him. “Cum for me.”

He was in her head. “Fuck! S-Silas…” She felt electrified, like he was a livewire. She gave up his head to claw the sheet, her hips canting, jerking, as she neared her climax. “So close. So close. Please. Please!”

He pulled her hips closer, tongue delving into her pussy as she came. He pressed his aching cock into the mattress as he tasted her release. He would have stayed longer but she jerked away from him.

“Ah! ...I’m. A little sensitive.” Temperance bit her lip and looked away from him.

He took a moment to close the space and pull her back to him, kissing her roughly, forcing his tongue inside her mouth. Skin on skin, he let his weight cover her, revelling in her whimpers and moans as he consumed her. He sucked a mark into her neck and only when she yelped in pain did he remember himself.

Silas looked down at her, this sweet, smiling girl he was supposed to be taking care of and the angry red mark blooming on her. His chest was… He was shifting. He closed his eyes to center himself and her hand coiled around his neck, her fingers playing with the hairs at the nape before she started to tug down. He pulled away from her.

“Silas?” There was no way Temperance would ever be able to hold back how she felt. She frowned worriedly.

The shimmer faded. The heat in his skin subsided. He could think again. He busied himself with looking for his shirt. “Yeah?”

“Um…” She fiddled with her hands, keeping the rest of her body exactly where it was, afraid that if she moved he’d run off. “I was wondering… if… I could touch  _ you _ now.”

Silas found his shirt. When had he taken it off? Not knowing worried him. “What?” he asked, gruffer than necessary.

“Well, you…” She meant to point at her pussy, but even that was too much. “I just thought-”

“No.”

She glared at him. She was trying to be nice. Why was he always so mean? “Why not?! I don’t understand. I know I said the deal was you feed and me sex, but... I want to renegotiate.”

She crossed her arms primly which was a look since she was still butt naked. Silas, despite himself, laughed and relaxed. “You can’t,” he said, gently this time. “I could hurt you. Case in point.” He gestured to her neck.

She felt around. She couldn’t feel anything. “Did you give me hickey?” She leaned back to grab a pillow and threw it at him. “You jerk!”

He caught the pillow and tossed it back on the bed. “That’s the least of your worries.” He picked up her pants and her panties, handing them to her without looking her in the eye. “You heard what Gettler said.”

Temperance hopped off the bed to put her pants back on, even though she was still unhappy about the whole situation. She still wanted his pants off. But this was more important. “Is that why you left?”

Silas shrugged.

“I don’t think you’ll hurt me.” Temperance spotted her bra and shirt and started getting dressed. “Hickeys are...not great. But they’re not painful.” She pulled her shirt over her head. “Gettler also said your true form would be unsettling.” 

Temperance snorted and shook her head. Fully dressed, she curled back into his side. “I don’t think it’s unsettling.”

He didn’t wrap his arm around her like before. She squeezed him tighter. He didn’t respond.

She pouted, “Why are you upset? I’m not good at this, Silas. I don’t like when you’re upset. Can we go back to kissing and you get all growly? I like that part.”

Silas gave her a weak smile, stroking up her back as he kissed the top of her head. “Me too. I’ll be okay.” She frowned up at him. “I will. Don’t worry about me.  _ Someone _ has got me fed for weeks.” He bent down to whisper in her ear. “Though I might need another taste soon.”

Temperance slapped his chest and buried her face in his shoulder. “Maybe... “ She looked up at him with a mischievous look in her eye. “I won’t let you until  _ I _ get a taste of  _ you _ .”

He smacked her butt. “Out. Get out, you deviant.”

She giggled as he ushered her out the door. “Wait! What are you doing tonight? I was going to head into town to get some things.”

“I’m busy.”

Her smile faded a little. Of course, he was. Sure, they had their thing, but Silas had other things. That was normal. That was good even! It was good. Good for him. Great. “I guess I’ll… see you around. Then.”

She stood in the doorway, waiting. For a second, she thought he would kiss her, but he said “See ya around” and shut the door.


	6. Chapter 6

Temperance laid in the grass with her arm over her eyes. The whole image read “woe is me” and she wasn’t keen on that, but she had to talk to Len and Len was doing yoga outside and the sun was blinding. And you know what? This sucked. Woe was her.

“You can join me if you want,” Len offered, her voice strained with the effort of her latest move. 

Temperance peeked out from the shield of her arm. Yeah. No thanks. She was not nearly that bendy. Instead of moving or answering, she sighed. She didn’t understand why Silas acted the way he did. He would be all over her when they were alone and  _ that _ was not the problem at all. That should happen more often, she thought, her heart fluttering.

The problem was after. Each time he’d pull away, but more than physically. She could feel him shutting her out and she hated it. Friends with benefits were supposed to be  _ friends _ , right? Why couldn’t he talk to her? She got that talking was hard. She felt the same way, but she tried to be more open, more honest. Sure, she hated how vulnerable that made her feel, but with each confession, he made her feel better. She wanted to make him feel better.

Temperance let out another heavy sigh and, unbeknownst to her, Len smiled as she changed positions. “Something on your mind?”

“Why is he such a jerk?”

“I don’t know.” Len’s voice strained again. “I thought you said he  _ wasn’t _ a jerk.”

“I changed my mind,” Temperance grumbled.

“What happened?”

Temperance peaked out at Len again. “It’s… I don’t know. It’s kind of… personal.”

Len laughed, “You can talk to me about sex.”

Temperance returned to the sanctuary of her arm shield. She hoped her arm covered enough of her face that Len wouldn’t see her blush. “It’s not  _ sex _ ! It’s… just… sexual.”

Len didn’t say anything and her breathing signaled that she was still doing her routine. They didn’t have to talk about this. Temperance didn’t want to talk about it. She couldn’t talk to him about it. He just clammed up. She talked to  _ him _ ! She let  _ him _ touch her! Why wouldn’t he let her touch him?!

“It’s not normal! I know that I don’t have a lot of experience, but I do know that sex would involve me  _ eventually _ touching him. He won’t let me touch him! He’s oh so happy to touch me, but god forbid I try to return the favor. Does he think I’ll be bad at it? I mean, probably, but I don’t think I’d be horrible. It’s not like I’m gonna accidentally bite it off. I got the basics.”

Len switched positions again, taking deep, even breaths.

“And he won’t  _ talk _ to me! He doesn’t shut up when it’s sexy time, but I can’t get him to say anything after. I know he’s upset. I know he is. But he won’t admit it! And he won’t tell me why.” Temperance sighed. That wasn’t exactly true. “He thinks he’ll hurt me,” she confessed.

After Temperance let the air go silent, Len piped up, her voice even, “It sounds like he has his own things to deal with. I don’t think it’s about you.”

Temperance peeked at her friend. Len moved to lay on the ground next to her. Temperance let her head fall sideways, but kept her arm in place. “How do I make him feel better?” she asked with a frown.

Len shrugged, a pained smile on her face. “I don’t think you can, honey. You can be there for him. You can… If he won’t talk, I guess you can hug him? You can try physical affection. But… I don’t know, Temperance. I think he’s gotta figure that out.”

“Nooooo,” Temperance whined. “Come on! You’re supposed to give me advice and fix it.” Woe was her! She threw her other arm over her face for good measure.

Len laughed. “I don’t know! I’m sorry your boyfriend won’t let you touch his dick.” 

“NOOOO! I never said any of that!!”

At Temperance’s wail, Len laughed harder, sitting up. “You’re right. You didn’t.”

Temperance sat up too, letting her arms drop to the ground. She fiddled with the grass, picking a few strands out at a time. “He’s not my boyfriend either,” she grumbled.

Len nodded, “He’s not.”

Sometimes,  _ most _ times, Temperance liked that Len was respectful, that Len agreed with her. Even when she was wrong or obviously lying, Len went with it. But she didn’t like it right now. Temperance looked at the grass, watching the pieces she picked fall away uselessly.

“Come on.” Len tapped Temperance’s side before standing up and offering her hand to her. “Let’s go inside.” When Temperance didn’t take it, she added, “You wanna eat, right?”

With a pout, Temperance took her friend’s hand. She  _ was _ hungry.

Temperance had lunch with Len. She talked with Gettler more about magical resources. She read in the library like she did almost everyday because even though she wasn’t an Augur anymore and didn’t need to sort the books, old habits die hard. Part of the job had been reading through each one, so she’d take her time and go through them. But today she was just going through the motions. She couldn’t focus on the words on the page. She couldn’t remember exactly what she and Gettler had talked about. Or had she just let Gettler talk?

Temperance sighed, long and drawn out.

“Why are you moping around?”

Temperance peeked over at Silas. He’d chosen the chair today. She noticed that the moment he came in. He’d leave soon enough. She sighed again, “I’m not.”

Silas imitated her sigh, puffing his chest out and letting his shoulders fall with the theatrics of it. “You’re not?”

Temperance pouted and looked away. She hadn’t sighed like that! She heard him get up from his chair and held fast, stubbornly looking at the corner of the bookshelf. It was a little dusty. She should help clean. Maybe she’d start tomorrow.

Silas kicked her foot. “Hey.”

Temperance blinked up at him, giving her best “oh you’re here?” look. He was not impressed.

“What’s going on with you?” He glared down at her. “Are you tired?”

Now, she honestly blinked in confusion. “I’m not tired.”

“You’re sure?” he pressed, accusing her of something with his tone.

“Yes,” she responded tersely, growing irritated now. “I’d know if I was tired. What is going with  _ you _ ?”

“Nothing,” he insisted gruffly. “I just thought maybe you were tired.”

Temperance had wanted to talk to him all day and now she just wanted him to shut up. “I am not tired!”

“Well, something’s wrong.” 

Silas stood tall, crossing his arms over while he looked down at her. Like he had the right to be mad at her right now. Temperance couldn’t stand it! She stood up, pushing him out of the way, so she could get past him. “ _ You _ don’t want to talk about it,” she spat as she passed.

He grabbed her arm to stop her. “Hold your horses.” He gave up the glare a little bit, but he didn't break just yet. “What don’t I want to talk about?”

Temperance’s glare wouldn’t let up. Because she was angry, she imagined teasing him, stroking and licking his cock until he reached the edge then stepping away, getting him so close again and again until he begged her to let him cum. She imagined him pleading, desperate for one more torturous second. She imagined punishing him and him begging for more. 

She tugged her arm free. “I think you already know,” she growled, watching the shimmer that passed over him before she stomped away.

“Temperance. Wait. Wait! Goddammit!” He cut her off. “Fuck,” he sighed once he got her to stop. He let his head fall. “I know you want to. I do. But I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Pfft! What? This?” She pulled her hair away and gestured to the hickey on her neck. “No one cares.”

The bruise was in full view now that she moved her hair. He hadn’t noticed her pulling her hair over the spot. She wasn’t hiding it. His heart fluttered and he told himself that was just him getting hungry. “You didn’t… cover it up?”

Temperance threw her hands up. “I don’t have any makeup! If I borrowed any from Len, Lord knows it’d be a billion shades too dark for me. I don’t think she wears makeup anyway.”

He stepped a bit closer to her. “You could wear a scarf.”

She scoffed, “I am not wearing a scarf, Silas, that’d be-” She swallowed when she realized how close he’d gotten. “...stupid.”

His hands behaved, staying put around her waist. He looked down at her, enjoying the view. He looked so serene and the loose hug felt nice. And what was it Len said? Didn’t she say to try hugs? Temperance wrapped her arms around him and let her head rest on his chest. It couldn’t hurt to try.

She felt him sigh, felt the rise and fall of his chest, his breath push her baby hairs into her face. She rubbed her nose on his chest to move them and his arms wrapped tighter against her. She wanted to say something. Maybe there was a magic phrase somewhere to make him not upset. Temperance then came to the disconcerting realization that such a phrase probably did exist and it would probably take away his free will or something because magic, despite what Silas and all the other Manasept kept telling her, was insane. So okay. No magic. But something.

She settled on, “I like  _ this _ .” She didn’t elaborate, but she hoped he understood.

He kissed the top of her head before resting his cheek on it. “Me too.”

They hugged in silence and the silence did nothing for Temperance’s mind which raced a mile a minute with thought. They were friends with benefits. Okay. But… When Len said “I’m sorry your boyfriend won’t let you touch his dick,” she was embarrassed, yeah. That was crass. But that had been nice: calling him that. Temperance hadn’t realized that she called him that already. Maybe not out loud, but, in her head, there were boxes and one day she had put Silas in the boyfriend box. The first day, a tratorious part of her whispered. In any case, she liked him there and it made everything more complicated.

“We fight a lot,” she said out of nowhere to Silas.

Silas chuckled. “Yeah.”

She licked her lips before adding, “For a couple who’s not dating.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, more bitter this time.

“Do...  _ you _ think we’re dating?” she asked casually, her eyes sliding up to him.

He looked down at her in guarded shock. “Do  _ you _ think we’re dating?”

She shrugged and looked away, but he caught her calm demeanor chipping anyway. “We could be.”

“We could be?”

She laughed, looking back at him. “Are you just gonna repeat everything I say?” She could tell the idea tempted him and she raised her eyebrow.

Silas shook his head, a full grin on his face. “I am not going to do that.”

“Good.”

“Good,” he repeated with a smirk.

She pushed his chest, but not hard enough to break the hug. “I’m being serious.”

“I’m...” She raised her hand to slap his chest again and he took her hand in his. “So am I.”

“Yeah?” she asked hopefully, looking at their hands over his heart.

He nodded, his thumbs caressing her palm. “Is… that what you want?”

She intertwined their fingers and, biting her lip, looked up at him and nodded enthusiastically. When he didn’t say anything, she lost a bit of her thunder. “Unless… you don’t.”

Silas tilted her head up to him and kissed her. He let his hands pull her closer, let them wander as he kissed her until she was breathless. He moved some hair out of her face, his fingertips drawing out goosebumps with the caress. “Of course, I want that.”

“Yeah?!”

He laughed, “Yeah.”

She jumped up with such sudden force that he had to step back for balance. In the blink of an eye, she’d launched herself on him and wrapped her legs around his waist. Her one leg almost slipped off because he didn’t catch it in time. But, he argued, he had the added disadvantage of her simultaneously attacking his face. He wanted to hold her chest closer, keep her hands at bay, but when he let go of her legs, she started to slip, so he was forced to just let her at him. Temperance held his head in both her hands, peppering his entire face with kisses, and that he could deal with, but then…

Her tongue peaked out, testing his reaction as she licked just under his jaw. Her hands had moved to his shoulders and she arched her back, using his hold on her to leverage each grind into his hips. 

“Okay,” he croaked. “I have to put you down.”

“Nooo,” she whined, already feeling the shift in his hold. She kissed and licked one final time, letting her teeth scrape his shoulder. He hissed and glared at her once her feet were on the ground. She shrugged, “What? We’re dating now. You have to let me.”

His face hardened. “Oh, is  _ that _ why you want to date me?”

“No…” Temperance felt small. He was pulling away again. She looked away, let her one foot dig into the floor. “But I’d like to touch my boyfriend.”

Silas looked at her. Her boyfriend. That’s what he was now. Of course, she’d want to touch her boyfriend. So why is she dating you?, a part of him hissed. He looked down, ashamed of he wasn’t sure what. “Next time,” he said before he chickened out.

Temperance beamed up at him. “Really?”

Silas laughed a little easier, but a knot of tension still rested deep in his gut. “Calm down. I thought you were a virgin.”

Temperance sauntered up to him. Sauntered. He was floored. Who was this woman? Her mind showed him everything she wanted to do to him, some of it right where they were standing. His legs felt weak. He hoped she wasn’t going to pounce him again.

“Exactly,” she purred, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss. “I’m overdue.”

He kissed her, letting her get a little more carried away than he’d like, but when she finally pulled away, he got to watch her eyes get big when he teased her. “You must  _ really _ want to fuck in this library.”

She squealed, slapping his chest. “We keep ending up here!”

“I don’t know… That sounds awfully convenient.”

“Shut up!” she whined. “I hate you sometimes."

He nuzzled her neck, giving her a quick kiss as apology. “No, you don’t.”

She shivered from the kiss with her full body. “Oh, I  _ definitely _ hate you.”

He pushed some hair away and kissed the other side of her neck, the side that already bore his mark. His tongue traced over the bruise reverently before he let his teeth graze it. 

Temperance took in a shaky breath. “Now who wants… to… f-fuck… in the library?”

Silas placed one last gentle kiss on her shoulder and fluffed her hair back over her neck, covering her hickey. He regarded her thoughtfully, his head tilted with a lazy smile. “No,” he sighed. “I think…” He bit his lip, looking over her. “Only I get to see you.”

When Silas went back to reading, he tugged Temperance over to the couch and she sat, cuddled up next to him. Both of them reading in an easier silence.


	7. Chapter 7

Silas, Temperance thought, had a strange relationship with words. He said “soon” when he meant “eventually” and “next time” seemingly when he meant “never”. The entire ordeal was quite frustrating. She did like not being a secret anymore. She hadn’t been good at hiding. Apparently “everyone knew” and they were “sickeningly adorable”. At least they were until they were “inappropriate” and had to “get a room”. The only people who were unfazed by their shenanigans were Gettler and Len. Possibly Theo, but Temperance didn’t make a habit of hanging around the old woman.

“She’s creepy,” Temperance muttered.

“Hmm?” Silas hummed, his chest vibrating under her cheek. “Who’s creepy?”

He let his book’s spine fall to his knee while Temperance snuggled closer to him on the couch, her own book abandoned at her feet. Temperance took a nice deep breath, breathing in the smell that was him ‘cause he was close and he was comfy and she was happy. “Doesn’t matter,” she sighed.

Silas smiled, kissing the top of her head and returning to his book.

“Hey, Silas,” a clipped voice greeted. Ambrosine rounded the couch into Temperance’s view. She nodded in greeting, but she didn’t look happy to see her or any happier to see them snuggled up. “Temperance.”

“Ambrose,” Silas said, a warning tone coating her name.

Ambrosine had never been hostile to Temperance before, but she couldn’t help but feel some hostility now. She wondered if Ambrosine was interested in Silas. Jealousy would be the simplest answer, but it didn’t quite fit. Ambrosine wasn’t affectionate with Silas, physically, verbally, or otherwise. Unless you counted insults which… Hmm. Maybe Silas did. 

Oh no. 

Now Temperance was jealous.

As if he felt it, Silas let his arm fall from her shoulders to her waist, angling his body closer to her and away from Ambrosine. Temperance tucked her face into his shoulder, so Ambrosine wouldn’t see her dopey smile.

Ambrosine’s lips were a straight line. “Did you forget what day it is?”

Silas let his head fall to the back of the couch. “Ughhhh! Come on,” he groaned.

Ambrosine shrugged. “I don’t make the rules.”

Silas leveled his stare at Ambrose. They had a silent conversation. Temperance hated that they did that. She frowned when he kissed her cheek before standing. Her side felt cold instantly without him warming her up.

“I won’t be long,” he assured her.

“Where are you going?” Temperance glanced over just in time to catch Ambrosine rolling her eyes.

Silas tucked a finger under her chin and kissed her on the lips. “Just work. I’ll be right back.”

Ambrosine knows where they’re going, Temperance thought bitterly as they left. They had conversations with their eyes while Temperance couldn’t get him to have regular conversations most of the time. Even when she did, it didn’t matter because Silas didn’t know what words meant. He kept using them wrong.

Temperance picked up his book, sliding a bookmark where he left off. He dog-eared the pages and she hated it. He’d gotten into the habit of bringing a bookmark with, but he left it between the cover and the first page. 

Temperance laughed to herself, “He doesn’t use bookmarks right either.”

With a sigh, Temperance took her book back and laid back on the couch. Silas’ spot was still warm. She imagined it like her head was on his lap and she wondered if he would play with her hair the way he fiddled with the hem at her shoulder. 

Now that they were dating, he touched her all the time, but not in the ways she expected. Admittedly, tawdry novels had painted a very different picture of what to expect with a demon lover. Yeah, some parts were right. He certainly did get growly  _ and _ changed form during the act, but he wasn’t some sex-crazed maniac. More like… touch starved, Temperance thought with a frown.

She lost interest in her book.

Before her, when was the last time someone hugged him? Held his hand? Thinking back, Temperance couldn’t picture him being physically affectionate with anybody. He pestered people. He pestered everyone. But did he touch anyone? Not counting fighting, of course. How terrible if the only time he was touched was to be inflicted pain. 

Temperance told herself that she had to be wrong, that she was misremembering things, that secretly he gave Ambrosine so many hugs. They were hugging buddies. And yes, that made jealousy rip through her, but at least that Silas had someone. That Silas and her Silas deserved hugs.

Temperance didn’t like thinking of him like that: alone in a room full of people. She knew what that felt like. She felt it every day when she was in the Order. She had never had anyone play with the hem of her shirt while cuddling. She hadn’t had anyone to hug her. But Temperance thought that the Manasept was devoid of such cruelties. Everyone was so nice and friendly. And no one thought to hug him? Here? Not once? That sounded absurd, but there was still a lot she didn’t know about the Manasept. Or Silas, for that matter. 

Like where Ambrosine had stolen him off to.

Temperance sat up on her knees to peek over the back of the couch. They hadn’t left too long ago. Maybe she could follow them… She sat back down normally. No. That was crazy, a little extreme. He said he’d be right back. But Temperance craned her neck back once more and curiosity won out.

~~~

An unearthly glow washed over Ambrosine's skin as she used her scrying orb. Silas hated guard duty. Barely anyone tainted divinations anymore. But, as Theo so “sagely” pointed out (Silas still rolled his eyes), the Order would gladly wait for the chance to catch them unawares. Ambrosine took her job, what Silas had nicknamed Junior Scryer, very seriously. Ever since she started, her know-it-all attitude has reached outrageous levels.

Which made saying this -once she was finished, of course- all the harder to say.

“Ambrosine, you were right.”

“I knew it!” She yelled, turning from her scrying crystal. The glow immediately left and the room was left in darkness. His eyes took a second to adjust. “I  _ knew _ it! What did you do?”

He huffed in offense, “What makes you think  _ I _ did something?”

Ambrosine tapped her foot, her arms crossed and her lips a hard line. She raised her eyebrow. “Didn’t you?”

“Not… exactly.”

His and Temperance’s “arrangement” had gotten complicated in that it was less complicated; they were dating now. With that came a whole lot more of Temperance than Silas was ready for. But that was wrong. Yes, she certainly doted on him relentlessly and he wanted to blame her, but he found himself just as guilty, holding onto her a little longer, brushing her arm or grazing her lower back when they weren’t alone. It didn’t help him at all that when they were alone Temperance was getting more and more... insistent. 

Each time they were alone, she kept asking, begging, for more of him. Her greedy hands would be all over him and if he didn’t give in, then she just imagined it and fuck, it was hard to keep saying no. She kept getting him to shift and kept begging to touch him when he was like that. But she didn’t understand. Feeding so fully was bringing more and more of his primal urges out. Succubi don’t usually keep their partners alive. If he let her touch him like that… Which was only a matter of time, he worried. He could hurt her. He could kill her.

“You’re an idiot,” Ambrosine snarked once he told her.

“I know,” he said, resigned.

“ _ Do _ you?” She uncrossed her arms. “You have to break it off.”

Silas glared at her with a scoff. “That’s all you got?  _ I _ thought of that. Any other brilliant ideas?”

“You can’t feed that way. You know that.” Ambrosine squinted at him, less angry now, more curious. “Why don’t you want to break it off? You weren’t having trouble feeding before.”

Silas’ jaw tensed. “You’re right. I’ll call it off.”

“Si… Don’t- Get over here, asshole.” She cut off his escape route, blocking the doorway. “You wanted advice. I gave it. You already knew anyway. I don’t know why you came expecting me to say something different.” She met his glare, pound for pound. “...But I’m sure you know the reason. I hope she’s worth it.”

She moved out of his way and he left.

~~~

Temperance wasn’t sure she was going the right away. She was never sure. The manor was too big for its own good. And when had she ever needed to find Ambrosine? She knew that Ambrosine would be in this wing. This was the wing Theo was always in. Temperance shivered and hugged herself, trying to shake off the heebie jeebies.

“Down this way, girl.”

Speak of the devil. Temperance turned her head and there was Theo. She’s a witch!, Temperance thought. Then Theo smiled and Temperance fleetingly panicked that maybe the old crone read minds too. But the smile was off. It wasn’t wicked. It was… sad.

“You’ll find them this way perhaps.”

“...Thanks.”

Temperance turned down the hall the witch told her to and if anyone in the Order could hear  _ that _ sentence… Temperance shook her head, disappointed in herself for them. Their heads would probably explode, she thought. What was she doing? Sneaking through the old, creepy manor in search of her succubus lover. Temperance felt like she had read that book before and she was pretty sure it didn’t have a happy ending.

Voices.

Temperance slowed down, making sure her footsteps didn’t make a sound. She felt like her pulse was too loud. Surely it wasn’t only pounding in  _ her _ ears. As she got closer, she recognized the voices, even if she didn’t catch all the words. Silas and Ambrosine, she’d found them. Temperance stepped a bit closer, not brave enough to stand at the door, but hiding behind a pillar got her close enough. She could hear them now.

“You’re an idiot.”

Ambrosine. Of course. Temperance rolled her eyes.

“I know.”

Temperance frowned. She hadn’t expected Silas to sound so dejected. 

“ _ Do _ you? You have to break it off.”

What?!

“That’s all you got?  _ I _ thought of that. Any other brilliant ideas?”

WHAT?!

Temperance heard enough. She didn’t care if they heard her footsteps or not, she ran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry. I really am, but I needed the K-Drama Overhears Conversation Wrong part in this story. I NEEDED it! T'was a mighty need.
> 
> If you want to hurt me because of it, just know that my twin compared Silas to Edward Cullen, so my life has already been ruined. She was not teasing me when she said it. She mean it as a compliment?? ...I'm in pain. Send help.


	8. Chapter 8

Silas didn’t find Temperance in the library. He didn’t find her in the kitchen, or the gardens, or her room. She was gone. He didn’t realize, until he’d been looking for hours, just how much he liked being near her. He had worked so hard to keep his distance, but now that he’d given in, he couldn’t resist. His mood darkened at that because wasn’t that the problem? Him being unable to control himself?

Len turned the corner, headed inside, and Silas waved her down. ...or tried to. She didn’t stop.

“Len!” he called, jogging up to meet her. “Have you seen Temperance?”

“No.”

Silas had never seen Len be anything but insufferably cheerful. “What bee’s in your bonnet?” 

She didn’t answer and while the “why” of that confused him, he was happy to have a clue. At the very least, somewhere new to look. When he came to Len’s room, he heard something right away. It sounded like… crying. He knocked on the door.

Whoever was on the other end sniffed and walked over. Temperance opened the door, eyes red and puffy, her cheeks indeed stained with tears. Before he could ask her what was wrong, she slammed the door in his face.

“Go away!”

“Temperance! What happened?”

On the other side of the door, Temperance pressed her back against, letting herself slide down to the floor while her boyfriend called for her, pleadingly. He was still her boyfriend. He hadn’t broken up with her yet.

“Open the door. Baby… please.”

Temperance sobbed at the pet name. What kind of psycho calls you “baby” before they dump you?! I hate him! I hate him I hate him I hate him

Silas rested his forehead against the door, aching to be closer to her. “Please… Talk to me. I don’t like seeing you sad. Well…. I can’t see you anyway, huh?” He tapped the door. “This is solid wood. Great craftsmanship.”

Temperance bit her lips as more tears streamed down her face. No. He isn’t funny. He is a jerk! And he’s trying to break up with me!

“Baby…  _ Please _ . I can’t help if I don’t know what’s wrong.”

He’s not going to leave. Len’s going to need her room back eventually. Temperance sniffed, wiping her face. Her cheeks felt raw from doing it. “I’m okay.”

“You don’t sound okay.”

“I’ll be okay.” Her throat got too tight on the last syllable and she ended up bouncing the sound. She sniffed again. “You can go.”

“I don’t want to go.”

Temperance bit her lips. She’d heard him sound like that before. After Ambrosine called him an idiot. She closed her eyes, willing the tears to stop. “You should go. Len will be back and… I’ll be okay.”

“Okay…” Silas let his forehead lightly hit the door, rolling his head while he thought about what to do. He wanted to say something, if not to coax her out, then at least something that would make her feel better. There were some words that came to him so quickly that his heart seized in his chest, but he held those words in. Instead, he put his hand on the door, spreading his palm, and said, “I miss you.”

“I’m right here,” Temperance said before she could stop herself.

“I know,” he laughed, but it didn’t sound happy. “But you’re too far away. ...I already miss you. Please… don’t stay far away for long.” He shut his eyes and he wanted to beat his head into the door for how stupid he sounded. But mostly, he hated meaning every stupid word.

Temperance listened to him walk away.

~~~

Temperance woke up the next day in her own room. Len had offered for her to stay the night. Promises of a slumber party were had, but Temperance didn’t feel up for parties of any sort. When she said she wanted to be alone, Len, looking distressed at the corners of her not-so-sunny smile. A cloudy day smile, Temperance thought. Len let her go, but not before reaffirming that Temperance was welcome to come back any time, even in the middle of the night, and that her door would be unlocked.

Temperance hadn’t left her room. She snuck off to the bathroom after she first woke up, but then she went right back to bed. And that’s where she was. That’s what she did with her day. Very productive.

Temperance let her head sink into her pillow, unwilling to move, even though her hair was in her face and she was stuck facing a down-right uninteresting part of her blank wall. Sure, all the parts were uninteresting - they were blank- but Temperance had grown a particular resentment of that particular spot. Or she figured as much. She’d been glaring at it long enough.

Now that she stopped crying -and maybe that would start up again once she got some water. Who knew?- she felt angry. She and Silas hadn’t even been “dating” that long. How had she done anything to warrant being broken up with? And how  _ dare _ he be SO sweet?! “He never says sweet things!”, she raged, but it only came out as mumbling into her pillow. She spit hair out of her mouth. And then he’s all talking to her through the door like she’s precious and he isn’t secretly plotting to break her heart. Where did he get off?!

She already knew what Len would say. Their (at times  _ suffocating _ ) friendship lent itself to a readily available proxy. Because why wouldn’t Len always be around when she certainly tried to be? If Len knew about other Len, Temperance imagined she would be tickled. “Or I’d point out your conscience”, other Len helpfully supplied, “That’s what I’m a representation of.”

“Yeah, yeah….” Temperance griped, waving other Len away as if she were real and in the room. Moving, even that little bit, gave Temperance the boost to actually sit up.

“You don’t  _ know _ what Silas is going to do.” Other Len didn’t quite frown at her, no; it was another cloudy day smile. “Because you haven’t talked to him.”

Temperance sighed. She hated other Len. Real Len you could throw a pillow at to get her to stop, but you would never need to because Real Len was respectful.

“I don’t want to talk to him”, Temperance quietly and weakly argued, knowing herself that wasn’t true. She desperately wanted to see him. It had been hard enough keeping him away with Len’s door.  _ Baby… Please. _ Just when she thought it couldn’t hurt anymore than it did, remembering that made her heart ache in an entirely new way.

_ Please… don’t stay far away for long. _

Temperance frowned. Did he feel her pulling away? 

_ Knock. Knock. _

Temperance hesitated. If it was Len, she wasn’t ready to talk. If it was Silas… She definitely wasn’t ready to talk.

“Temperance?” Silas’ muffled voice came through. “...Are you there?”

She heard him mumbling something to himself, but she couldn’t make it out. She watched the shadows under the door shift like he was about to walk away. He was walking away.

The door suddenly flew open. Silas turned back to see Temperance and he couldn’t stop the smile on his face. “Hey,” he greeted softly. She didn’t say anything back and afraid the door would close at any moment, he scooted a little closer. “You weren’t in the library, so I thought... I’d check…”

Temperance hadn’t let go of the door and it swayed just the tiniest more closed. Too close, he thought and he immediately corrected himself. The door stayed 95% open. Good. She still wasn’t saying anything. “Uh.” He shoved the food he brought at her. “Theo said you might be hungry. I… thought we could eat together.”

Temperance took the food, but she glared suspiciously at it. Witch, she thought. But…, she amended while her stomach growled, she hadn’t eaten at all that day. And looking through the package, there were no poison apples. She  _ supposed _ it couldn’t hurt.

96% open. Silas buzzed with excitement. He tried to keep it in check. “Do you want to eat in your room?” he asked hopefully.

Temperance looked up at him. She had been fuming earlier, but seeing him now… Her heart ached. Better get this over with, she thought grimly. She turned her back on him, leaving the door open. “Sure.”

She heard him shut the door behind him. Private. Good. In case she made a scene. Temperance imagined she would. She walked on her knees on the bed until she came to the headboard. Silas followed closely behind. Once they were both settled, he sighed, turning to her with sad eyes, tucking some for her hair behind her ear. He kept his hand at her cheek, caressing her with his thumb.

“Are you feeling better?”

Better. Like she was sick. She nudged his hand away with her chin and opened their lunches. “I’m feeling hungry.”

Silas frowned when she pushed him away. He ached seeing her so upset. He did his best to hide it. “Well, you can eat up! I brought plenty.”

They ate in silence. Temperance picked at her food, here and there, but as time went on she lost her appetite. Silas noticed, slowing down himself, but he liked keeping his mouth full. That way he couldn’t say anything wrong.

When Temperance stopped eating all together, she zoned out, refusing to look at him or that ridiculous, blank spot on the wall, and just listened. The only things she could hear were him quietly chewing, the rustle of the bag of chips, more chewing, him taking a drink of water. That was it. Like clockwork.

_ Chew. Rustle. Chew. Drink. _

The seconds were ticking away.

_ Chew. Rustle. Chew. Drink. _

Any moment now.

_ Chew. Rustle. Chew. Drink. _

_ Chew. _

Temperance slapped the bag of chips off her bed, without moving her head. The chips went flying.

“What the hell?!” 

“I don’t know why you’re being so nice to me,” Temperance spat coldly, her shoulders shaking.

“...What?” He scooted forward on the bed to get closer and she shoved him away.

Temperance launched herself off the bed, away from him, and hugged herself. “We both know why you’re here, so…” Her lip wobbled, the tough girl act too much for her to fake. “Just get it over with.”

Even though he wanted to scoop her up into his arms, he approached her cautiously. “What are you talking about?”

“You want to break up with me!” Her teary eyes met his. “I heard you with Ambrosine!”

“I  _ don’t _ want to break up with you!  _ That’s _ what we were arguing about! Fuck!” He covered his face in his hands. He was yelling at her. He wasn’t supposed to be yelling at her. 

Silas dragged his hands down his face to look at Temperance. She was… Fuck! How much had she heard?, he wondered. That’s why she was so upset. Wasn’t it? She knew what he knew: that Ambrosine was right.

“Temperance…”

She shook her head. For someone who just said they didn’t want to break up, that sure sounded like the start of one. She blinked away tears.

“You have to know… That this-  _ we _ … are not… sustainable.” Silas left like he was clawing a piece out of himself. “I am going to hurt you.”

“No, you won’t!” Temperance let the tears fall as she rushed to him, grabbing his arms, shaking him. She had to believe her. “I know you wouldn’t!”

“ **_I_ ** wouldn’t!” He hated yelling at her. He hated admitting any of this. “...But a part of me  _ will _ .” Silas moved her hands away to cradle her face in his hands. Fresh tears fell on her cheeks and he thumbed them away. “And when that happens…” He pulled her face closer at first, dying to kiss her, to stop what he was saying,  _ anything _ to make her stop crying. But he had to do this. He let his forehead fall on hers. “I won’t be able to forgive myself.”

“No.” Temperance sniffed, pleading, “No. You’re not allowed to break up with me.”

Silas’ own tears welled in his eyes. “I don’t want to,” he whispered.

Temperance leaned her face up as much as she’d dare, her heart fragile and lain bare. “Then why are you trying to?”

Silas looked into her eyes. His own heart crying out for her. “I don’t know.”

Temperance wasn’t sure, if she kissed him or he kissed her, but couldn’t find the time to care. Her heart sang at his embrace. She wormed her way into his shirt, pulling it off of him, kissing the bare skin of his shoulders and he copied, stripping her of her top. She couldn’t stop touching him, couldn’t stop kissing him. He backed them onto the bed. Temperance felt chips crumble under her feet.

He pulled her into his lap, holding her hips to his, holding her chest to his, the two of them grinding together in stimulated sex. Temperance hummed. It could be sex, if they lost the pants. But she didn’t want to leave him long enough to take them off.

Silas moaned into her neck, one hand snaking between them to grope her breast, the other forced her hips to grind down on his hard cock, groaning as she rode him.

Temperance whimpered, “Please, Silas.” She accented her request with a rough push of her hips, her tongue curling around his ear. “I need you.”

She felt him shiver, saw his skin ripple. His hand left her breast to undo her pants and slip inside.

“Ah! Hmm… No,” she panted, her hips selfishly angling into his touch. “All of you… Please. I need…”

He growled into her neck, biting her shoulder, while his fingers pumped into her wet pussy. He let his head fall to her shoulder while he worked her, closing his eyes and focusing on her. Still, when her nails scratched down his back or through his scalp as she made endlessly sexy noises, he couldn’t hold back the shift, helpless to watch the arm pleasuring her shimmer as he changed.

“Silas…. Baby, _ please _ ...” His hand left her and she ached, needing him inside her. She pouted, “Please.”

He rested his head against her chest, unable to look at her, unable to catch his breath. “Just… I need… Gimme a minute.”

Temperance ground down on him, feeling his hardness press against her core.

His hiss morphed into a growl. “Baby, if you keep doing that…” The hands at hips turned to a bruising grip. “Fuck…”

She rolled her body to get him to look up at her, pulling his face up to hers once he did. “I trust you.” She kissed him softly on the mouth and she heard that purring sound again. “Do you trust me?”

His hand found its way to her hair, pulling back to him, kissing her soundly. “I just…” He took a deep breath and sighed. “I’ve never done this before.”

Temperance smiled and kissed him, wrapping her arms lazily around his neck and sighing into it. “Done what?”

Silas looked away and Temperance thought that him blushing in this form was really cute. Wait. She stiffened, leaning back to get a better look at him.

“You’re a virgin?!” she giggled.

He growled in warning.

Then she peppered kisses all over his face. He stayed stiff as a board, not kissing her back. “I’m sorry.” She kissed his mouth. “I’m just-” His jaw. “-surprised.” His mouth again. “I wasn’t-” Jaw. “-laughing-” Mouth. “-at you. Promise.”

Temperance leaned back. He glowered at her, but at least he was looking at her again. “I like it,” she said.

Silas scoffed.

“I do! I think it’s cute.”

“Cute, yeah,” he agreed sarcastically. The shift faded completely from him.

Temperance kissed him again, giving her all, even though he refused to kiss her back. “I think it’s cute that we both…” She rested her chin on his shoulder. “Waited for each other. You know?”

Silas rolled his eyes. Ignoring the topless girl throwing herself at him was hard, but his pride demanded it. Then, her tongue darted across his neck and her teeth grazed down to his shoulder, her lips, plush and kiss-stung already, slid down, down, and her hands played with the fly of his pants.

“I still want to…,” she panted. “Do you?” She bit her lip, smirking as his skin shimmered. 

He threw her off his lap and she squeaked in offense, then he ripped her bottoms off leaving her naked. There was a flurry of motion after that, a lot of moving at once that Temperance couldn’t place, but at the end, she was laid on the bed and a very naked Silas was climbing above her.

He looked downright predatory and her heart raced. “I take the lead. Alright?”

Bleary-headed, Temperance could only nod. She slid her legs up his, wrapping them around his hips in an attempt to tug him closer.

He didn’t let her at first, but then he smiled wickedly and his cock prodded at her. She gasped and he licked into her mouth, arching his hips and rubbing his hard cock against her wetness. Distantly, Temperance heard the purring sound, but then Silas’ voice was in her ear. “What did I say?...”

Temperance arched her hips into him, his cock gliding against her, and moaned.

“Fuck, baby…”

“Hmm, please,” she begged. She didn’t trust herself not to pull him, so she clawed at the sheets, closing her eyes and holding her breath each time his cock slid down, waiting for him, aching for him. She writhed. “ _ Please _ …”

“You don’t know… Hmm, fuck! How bad I… How bad I wanted this.”

He was teasing himself on her too. Temperance pulled his face to hers, kissing him, licking his lips, sucking his tongue into her mouth, restricting herself to holding his head because if she let her hands wander, she was going to angle his cock-

He growled and the tip of his cock pressed against her. 

“Ah!” Her back seized from the stretch of him. “Fuck…” She licked her lips. “More.”

Silas didn’t like that her brow was screwed in pain. “Are you-?”

“More,” she insisted, placing her hands on his ass and pulling him closer. She used her legs around to force just the tiniest bit more inside and she hissed. He tried to pull away and she locked legs around him. “No, no! Please. I need all of you.”

He kissed her forehead, dewy with sweat. “...I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Please. Faster will be better. Please, baby. I need you inside me. I need- HAH!”

They both gasped when he bottomed out inside her. Temperance had her eyes shut tight, telling her body to relax, an unfamiliar sting accompanying the fullness now inside her. She took a couple shaky breaths while Silas reverently kissed her neck, her face, her shoulders, every part of her that he could reach.

She took his face in her hands and canted her hips, urging him silently to move. And he did. Slowly, but surely, they found their own rhythm. Silas was a welcome distraction from her initial discomfort. He panted and moaned on top of her, drinking her in, his body enveloping her. He licked and kissed and sucked at the tender flesh of her neck.

She cried out when he bit her just at the base of her neck. With a deep and satisfied rumbling in his chest, he licked the mark and all her pain was forgotten. She only felt him. All she could focus on was his cock filling her, his hips pistoning into her again and again, and the sound, the vulgar, wet sound, of their lovemaking. Hmm… He always called it fucking. God, how he fucked her.

Temperance knew she was babbling nonsense. So was he. Promises and confessions fell from his lips effortlessly, how he would always want her, how good she felt. Temperance tried to reciprocate. ...Maybe. Her mouth moved, but she didn’t think she was saying words anymore. She couldn’t focus on anything that wasn’t him, his hands, his cock, his mouth, his chest, him.

She came screaming. She could hear herself for the second before Silas crushed his lips against hers. He licked and sucked each cry out of her mouth, only pausing at his own release. Temperance felt like she was shimmery and warmed from the inside out. 

They caught their breath together, unmoving save for Temperance petting his hair. She sighed happily and smiled. 

Silas chuckled, still a bit breathless, into her shoulder, “That good?”

Temperance bit her lip, her pussy clenched, and they both hissed. “Hmm,” she hummed, “Very good.”

Silas leaned up on his elbows. “Do you… feel okay?”

Temperance rolled her shoulders, stretching her back languidly and smiling. “Very okay.” He stretched his arms and Temperance pulled him back down. “Stay..” She placed his head back by her shoulder and started petting him again. “Like this.

Silas conceded, placing a kiss over the mark he’d left.

Temperance hissed and she felt him stiffen up. “Good sound,” she assured him. Her pussy clenched just having his breath over it. “...Very good sound.”

“Your ability to talk has been severely damaged,” he teased.

“Words bad. No words. Just this.”

Silas laughed into her skin and she shivered. “We do have to eventually move.”

He was right. Soon enough, his weight felt crushing in a bad way and he said his arms were getting sore. Neither of them touched on the wet spot left on the bed, but, yeah, feeling their shared release start to dry on her skin had been a mood killer.

But Temperance liked  _ this _ : him staying after. He teased her while they got dressed, offering to help only to put her shirt on backwards on purpose. She liked laughing with him. She kept kissing him and he kept kissing her. Then she remembered-

“You were gonna break up with me!” She slapped his (sadly) now clothed chest.

He opened his mouth to defend himself, but words didn’t come.

“You  _ were _ !” she cried out, smiling, giggling.

“I didn’t  _ want _ to!” His smile went from ear-to-ear. He scooped her up into his side. “Good thing I didn’t have to, huh?”

Temperance pouted, unwilling just yet to give into that cute, kiss me face. “You never had to.”

His eyes darted to her neck, an angry, fresh mark over the old one. He had a favorite spot. She couldn’t blame him. She imagined that she would find all her favorite spots on him soon. Uh oh. That wasn’t a kiss me face anymore.

“Aren’t you full?” she teased, wiggling free. She had to clean her sheets. ...And sweep up these chips.

He hugged her from behind, swaying them both. “I had a bit of a workout.”

Temperance bit back her smile, twisting in his arms to face him and wrap her arms around his neck. She bounced on her toes. “Yeah. You did.”

“Yeah, I did,” he agreed, walking her backwards to the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHH!! I had this planned since the BEGINNING, my dudes! I blew my twin's mind! All the hints are there! Re-read it, babes! The seeds are all there and it is here that we watched them grow together! :D
> 
> If you are reading this, if you are enjoying this, please, please, please leave a comment. It would make my day to have a 3rd person in our fandom. I said before it's just me and my twin and she doesn't like going over head canons since i'm the creator or whatever and I'll "spoil the ending".


	9. Chapter 9

The next day, Temperance messed with the mark on her neck, her fingertips ghosting over the surface, careful not to disturb the healing skin. But, she frowned,  _ was _ it healing? She didn’t want to press on it, but it didn’t look like a normal scab. Maybe it was infected. If it was infected, it was because Silas kept touching it! Ignore the fact that she was now touching it. He was the one nuzzling her and kissing next to it when she yelled at him. 

She tried braiding her hair to the side that afternoon to cover it, a loose, simple braid that didn’t hold all her hair, but did the job well enough. The style had been messy-cute. Silas made it messy-messy because he kept flicking it behind her shoulder! Biting her lip, readying herself for pain, Temperance pressed into the wound. It didn’t  _ feel _ infected. She leaned closer to the mirror, stretching her neck as FAR as she could. But it looked… odd, right? Or did it not? She’d never been bitten before.

“AH!” she screamed.

Silas’ arms around her came out of nowhere. He pulled her back to his chest, kissing her shoulder. And then  _ higher _ , Temperance thought as she glared at him through the mirror. He was going to get it infected. “Mouths are full of germs, you know,” she said, trying to hold onto the glare, but what he was doing did feel really good.

“Uhm hm,” Silas hummed in agreement, nuzzling her. He moved his lips. Temperance was always hyper aware of when his breath was over the mark. She knew he was  _ right _ there. She wanted him to stop kissing around it. But also, a part of her purred that she  _ needed _ him to bite her again.

“Whew!” Temperance exclaimed as she broke away from him, feeling too hot already and he’d just walked in. “I think…” She took a breath and Silas smirked, looking endlessly pleased with himself. Temperance heard a purring sound. She  _ really _ needed to ask him about that. She needed to ask him about a lot of things. “I think we need to slow it down.”

“Is my little sex kitten tuckered out?” Silas put his hands back on her waist and, although he toyed with the edge of her shirt, he didn’t move it. 

Sex kitten? Temperance blushed. She had never thought of herself as anything with sex in the name. ...She kind of liked it. She leaned forward to hug him and he jerked back.

  
  


“Nuh uh.” He kept his shoulders pulled awkwardly away from her. “Gotta keep room for Jesus, like you want.”

Temperance laughed and hugged him. “I’m pretty sure the  _ hips _ are where Jesus needs room. Not the shoulders.”

She felt him shrug. “We must be in different sects.”

Temperance pulled away to shoot him a look. He was a dork. 

There was that pleased smile he got when he thought he was being clever. “Don’t get too excited now. I said S-E-C-T-S.” He kissed her nose. “Better get your mind out of the gutter.”

Temperance felt something bubble up inside of her. She wanted to squish his face or kiss him or she even didn’t know what. But when she looked into his eyes, she felt her heart seize, words on the tip of her tongue. She bit her lip instead to bite back her smile, looking up at him through her lashes.

Silas pretended to be scandalized, “Miss! I will have you know that having sex before marriage is a sin and I’m a good Christian. I made a promise to save myself and I will not be swayed. ”

“What??” Temperance shot him an incredulous look while she laughed. “We already had sex.”

“Oh. Well in that case...” Silas picked her up over his shoulder “What’s one more sin?” he said, slapping her ass.

Temperance squealed, kicking and fighting (but not too much) while she screamed at him to let her down. Her cheeks hurt from smiling. He let them both fall to the bed in a heap, the two of them laughing together the whole time. Eventually, they settled down, Silas sitting with his back against the headboard and she, with her head in his chest. He lazily trailed his hand up and down her arm.

_ Knock. Knock. _

“Temperance…” Len’s sing-songy voice came through the door.

Temperance shot away from Silas like they’d been caught doing something unthinkable. Cuddling and giggling on her bed with a man? Like some kind of cheap harlot?

“I know you’re in there…”

Temperance begrudgingly opened to the door to her friend’s blinding, sunshine-y smile. Temperance didn’t open the door all the way. God, no. She opened it only as much was necessary and used her body to block anyone’s -cough, cough,  _ Len’s _ \- view into the room. Subtly, Temperance rolled her shoulder, hopefully shifting some of her hair to cover her neck. If Len noticed, she didn’t react. Bless Len for being respectful.

“There are new recruits coming in today. We’re rolling out the Welcome Wagon and you and I on it.” Len playfully nudged Temperance’s shoulder. “They should be here soon. I’ve got most of it set up, so come down whenever.”

Len’s ponytail swished as she turned. “Tell Silas he can come to,” she added. “When you see him.”

Temperance shut the door, her cheeks hot. Len knew! Had she heard them?! AGAIN?! She hit the door with her forehead. Silas laughed behind her and in a second he was there, kissing her shoulder  _ again _ for the hundredth time that day. She didn’t have the strength to stop him, too broken down by her embarrassment. 

“Bad news, huh?” he teased. “I didn’t realize you were so embarrassed of me.” He laughed when he said it, but she heard something in his voice. 

She wiggled around and kissed him. “I’m not embarrassed of you,” she said and while he acted like he hadn’t cared in the first place, she still saw him blush every so slightly. Then, she sighed, letting her head fall to his chest. “I would  _ like _ our sex life to stay between us, but apparently, that’s not in the cards.”

“Not with those pipes you got.” She slapped his chest. “Ow!”

Temperance glared at him. “That didn’t hurt.”

Silas brought a hand to his heart. “I have feelings, woman!”

“Can you be serious?” She was trying to be mad at him. Really she was.

He sighed and nodded, “Okay, okay. I’ll try to not be so great at sex that you have no choice but to scream your passions.”

“Are you proud of yourself?” She wasn’t smiling. Nope. She was not. He absolutely was not funny. “Is this you being serious?”

Silas dropped the smirk. He thought to himself for a bit before he shrugged, “We could get you a gag.”

Temperance’s pulse spiked. She yanked the door open and grabbed his wrist, dragging him down the hall. They both needed some fresh air, she decided. Plus, if she stayed in that bedroom with him for any longer… “We’re going downstairs.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

~~~

Temperance hated this. She self-consciously fiddled with her hair, making sure over and over that the curls covered her neck lest she make a bad first impression. First Impression. New people. So many new people. Okay, really only ten, but  _ she _ was part of the welcoming party. And, as Len so cheerfully reminded her before leaving her to the wolves, Temperance should be mingling.  _ Talking, Temperance. You remember what it was like being an outsider! Come on! I know you can do this! _ Len could spew all the sunny optimism she wanted, Temperance still would not like “mingling”. 

She wanted to be in her room  _ alone _ or the library  _ alone _ , she thought sullenly. Silas caught her eyeline from across the way. He was a natural. Of course, he was, she thought, hands falling from her hair as she crossed her arms, unsure if she was jealous that he just made that girl laugh or that he  _ could _ make that girl laugh. Silas’ focus was suddenly all on Temperance. There was twenty feet between them and she felt none of it; he was all over her with a look. Or her room  _ not _ alone, she thought.

“No! We’re getting fresh air!” Temperance muttered as she shook her head, looking away from him. When she peeked up, he shot her a wink before returning to his conversation. Like it was easy. “Oh, yeah… Talking to a complete stranger is fine. It’s fine!”

One of the passing strangers looked at her and then looked for who the crazy woman was talking to. 

“Stop talking to yourself!” she whisper-yelled.

“Um… excuse me,” a polite voice called out from behind her.

Temperance swiveled her head around. Then she did again. No one was close enough to be that voice. Her eyes widened. “Oh my god… I  _ am _ a crazy woman.”

The voice laughed quietly. Nervously, Temperance thought and she knew nervous. She wrote the book on it. “Down here. Behind the ficus.”

Temperance discreetly bent to look behind the gargantuan plant. Her eyes scanned through for a bit until, among the endless green, she found two honey brown eyes. The sight was shocking. Like locking eyes with a lion! She may have yelped, but uh…  _ discreetly _ , of course. Dignified! Some might say. 

Some onlookers were slowing down to gawk at the crazy woman now talking to a plant. She straightened her back and forced her stance to be relaxed. She felt like it was coming off more zombie than casual. How did she usually hold her arms? Now that she was thinking about it, nothing felt right. “What even  _ are _ arms?”

He let out a quiet laugh. And having seen more of him, Temperance ascertained that “it” was indeed a ‘he’, a whole actual person, and not a plant,  _ thank you very much _ . Move along now. There was nothing to see!

“Sorry… I… know it’s strange, but I feel like that old woman is following me.” Temperance followed his eyeline to Theo. “Is she watching?” he whispered.

Temperance nodded.  _ Discreetly _ ! She held in the urge to wiggle from excitement. She felt like a spy.

Defeated, shoulders in a slump, he crawled out from behind the plant, dusting his pants off. “I can’t shake her.” He stood next to Temperance now and he would have stood taller than her, but he scrunched his shoulders down and hugged himself as if he wanted to go back behind the ficus already. “It’s like she knows where I’m going to move before I do.”

“Oh, I am 100% certain she’s a witch,” Temperance said without thinking. Wait! No! Len wanted her to talk to people, not scare them! “But! That’s... not a bad thing here,” she added mechanically, forcing the words out like a bad script. 

Theo was creepy -there was no denying that- but what Temperance said was also true. The Manasept were used to magic being all around, used to using magic so much so that it was a part of their everyday lives. “Not like the Order,” Temperance muttered with a sigh.

The young man at her side relaxed just the tiniest bit. “You’re- You were in the Order?”

“I was an Augur.” Was Temperance having a conversation? Was Temperance  _ mingling _ ? Where is Len? She’ll be so proud of me!

“I was Micah. I  _ am _ Micah. I was an acolyte,” Micah blurted, hanging his head by the end of it.

_ You remember what it was like being an outsider!  _ Temperance smiled. Yeah. She knew exactly what boat Micah was in. “I’m Temperance.”

“Temperance,” he repeated, relieved. Relieved that she was respectful, no doubt. Len had taught Temperance a thing or two about being respectful. Mingling had its merits.

“So, Temperance…” Micah blushed saying her name. He didn’t get red like she did, but she could see a light dusting of color against his freckles. “Do you… speak many languages? I heard Augurs do.”

“All of them. I can speak and read all of them.”

Micah finally relaxed, standing at his full height. “No way! You’re lying!”

“No.” Temperance grinned and shook her head. She brought her hand up to her head to mime a twisting motion. “The Order did something to my head when I was little. I’ve always known them.”

“Oh.” Micah shrank back. “I’m sorry.”

“Why? It didn’t hurt, I don’t think. I honestly don’t remember? I was a baby.”

Micah laughed, the loudest one she’d heard yet, and her heart swelled with pride. Was Len seeing any of this? He tapered his smile, asking, “Is that why you left? You… found out they did that to you?”

“Nooo.” Temperance shook her head. “I left because the Order tried to sacrifice me to an Elder God. It’s a crazy story actually!”

“Did you need help with something?” Silas interrupted with forced politeness, eyes squarely on Micah. He wrapped his arm around Temperance’s waist. She hadn’t noticed him coming over.

Micah looked like he wanted to bolt. “Um… No?”

Silas leaned forward, getting in the cowardly lion’s face. “Then beat it.”

“Silas!” Temperance pouted as her new friend ran away. “We were talking!”

“I’m sorry.” Silas tensed his jaw. He’d come at that boy pretty hard, huh? Should have gone easier on him. The guy was wearing a bowtie, for Christ’s sake! Who wears a bowtie without a gun to their head? Silas sighed and Temperance, angry pout still present, cuddled into his side. As he kneaded into her side, Silas had to admit to himself that the bowtie wasn’t what irritated him. The most, anyway.

Temperance had been talking to that boy all easy breezy, making him laugh, smiling back at him. Like they were old friends or something. And the bowtie! Now Silas would never say it to her face because it’d probably make her upset, but Temperance dressed like an old lady sometimes. Most times. All the time. The woman didn’t own a normal tee shirt? If he had to deal with one more button down, he was just gonna rip the damn thing off her!

What made him mad was he looked over and saw Temperance with this other guy dressed as dorky as her and they looked like two peas in a pod, getting on like… Like he didn’t know what. But it sure wasn’t how  _ he _ and Temperance got on. So sue him. He got jealous.

“I just…” Silas chewed his lip, still unwilling to admit any of this. “Didn’t… like how he was looking at you. Is all.”

Temperance squinted up at him. He was jealous? She didn’t want to reward the behavior, but it did make her feel a certain kind of way that he cared that much. “What do you mean?”

Silas rolled his eyes, knowing full well that this woman had gone fishin’. “He was flirting with you.”

Temperance shook her head dismissively. “No, he wasn’t.”

“Uh… yes, he was.” Silas broke apart from her, assuming position. “Alright, I’ll be him and you be you.” He turned around, took a breath, and then turned back to her in character. “Hey there, good lookin’...”

Temperance snorted, but held anything else in so he could continue and he did. 

“This party’s a bust.” Silas eyed her slowly and dramatically. “Why don’t you and me find somewhere more private, throw a little party of our own?” he asked with a wink.

Temperance out right laughed at him. “Micah didn’t say anything like that. We were talking about the Order.”

“Oh! Well, in that case…” Silas turned away from her, then he turned back. “Hey there, good lookin’...”

Temperance shut him up by kissing him.

“See?” he smirked, giving her another peck. “It works.”

Temperance shot him a look, shaking her head at his  _ terrible _ execution of the scientific method. “I think your data’s a little skewed. I’m hardly impartial. Plus you’d need a control group, a double blind set-up probably and… Gettler.”

Silas snorted. “What do I need  _ her _ for? I got you...” He leaned down to kiss her again.

She moved her head just in time, but undeterred, Silas continued on to her cheek. People were watching! “No!” she giggled. “I just remembered I promised Gettler I’d help her with her study.”

“Well…,” he said, with a lingering kiss to her jaw that was  _ wildly _ inappropriate! People could see them, Temperance screamed in her head. He chuckled, pulling back to enjoy her blush. “If she tries to put any of her weird doo-hickies on you, you run.” He wrapped his arms around her waist, swaying them. “Don’t need my woman blown up ‘cause Gettler thinks everyday’s a science fair.”

Temperance’s cheeks hurt. He made her cheeks hurt. “I promise not to get blown up.”

“Then we have an accord.” He let her go with a formal nod. Then he pushed her away with a slap on her ass. “Go on now. Get!”

“ _ Silas!, _ ” she whisper-yelled and covered her butt to shield it from further attacks.

He waggled his eyebrows at her, biting his tongue while he smiled.

“Tell Len I had to go,” Temperance called back. “But tell her I mingled!”

“Yes, ma’am.” Silas gave her a salute. 

When she left, his smile dropped. He still didn’t like the thought of her “mingling.” Then, just because he could, Silas locked eyes with “Micah” and watched in smug satisfaction as that boy, so quick to escape from the near twenty-somethin’ foot away Silas, walked into a plant.

~~~

Gettler was busy at work when Temperance walked in. Something exploded in a puff of yellow smoke and Temperance gulped. She thought her promise to Silas had been facetious, but apparently he knew Gettler better. If Gettler tried to hook her up to anything, Temperance- Well, she might not  _ run _ , but she certainly would give a firm “no thank you.”

“Temperance!” Gettler waved and then gestured to her lab. “Make yourself at home. I’m just… cleaning something up.”

Temperance peeked over and found part of Gettler’s desk was melting. It was a wooden desk. Her stomach twisted in knots. 

Temperance had no problem with magic. In the Order, she read through thousands of books meaning countless spells. Magic was all well and good when it was far away or trapped in a page. The  _ application _ of magic is what made her so uneasy. 

~~~

_ “Why are my eyes bleeding?!” Temperance cried harder and more bloody tears fell down her cheeks.They were staining her shirt. She really liked this shirt! _

_ “Calm down, girl,” Theo cooed. “You’ve done nothing wrong. The spell merely required virgin blood.” _

_ “I  _ **_AM_ ** _ A VIRGIN!” Temperance wiped her eyes and her vision went red with her thickened tears. She paused in shock. Wiping her face had brought her hand in view and even with her “rose-colored glasses”, she could see more side effects arise. “AND I’M ALL VEINY NOW?!?!” She covered her face with her ugly, veiny hands and cried. _

_ Theo patted her on the back. “Come along, child. You’ve no need for tears. The effects will wear off in time perhaps.” _

_ “PERHAPS?!” Temperance wailed all the way down the halls. _

~~~

Yes. The application of magic unsettled her.

Temperance checked her arms again. Just to be sure that she wasn’t any veinier than usual. Being so pale meant her veins showed more prominently, but what happened after the  _ incident _ had been a horror show. 

But…

Gettler knew what she was doing. Right? 

The melting desk said no.

Gettler had the spill contained now, but if the rest of her desk was any indication, there was another mishap in the works. The poor hunk of wood had gone through a lot. It was charred and chipped in places, there was a distinct stain of blue on the top that took up half of it, and now it was melted. Temperance squinted at a smaller stain: a simple, but incomplete ring. Huh. That’s right. What  _ was _ the point of using coasters after a certain point?

“You’re here just in time,” Gettler announced.

“...I am?”

“Yes! Our package just arrived.” Gettler opened the wooden case. Temperance found herself staring at the design. It looked vaguely familiar. “It was delivered along with the recruits.”

Temperance walked over to Gettler’s side so she could peek inside the container. Once she saw what was inside, she grabbed it. “I  _ know _ this!” she insisted. “This is the Conduit! This is…” 

Temperance let her hands glide over the metal, ancient yet somehow pristine. Magic licked at her fingertips, cracking like tiny bolts of lightning as she moved. Temperance was in awe, truly humbled to hold such a device in her hands. “ _ Sacred  _ to the Order,” she whispered.

This was delivered to the manor like a common piece of mail? Temperance turned to Gettler. “You  _ stole _ it.”

“N-Not me personally…” Gettler delicately removed the Conduit from Temperance’s grasp and placed it safely in its case. With a sigh of relief, she snapped the case shut. “While it’s…  _ acquiescence _ was not what one would consider “legal”, it was verily justifiable.”

Temperance still frowned.

“Without  _ this _ ?” Gettler touched the case. “The Order cannot create more Ascended. Having the Conduit in our possession gives us a chance. And! And! If I’m able to do what I hope with my research-  _ our _ research… Temperance, we could end the war.”

Temperance frowned deeper. Now that she wasn’t touching the thing, she was disgusted by it. “Do you know how it's used?”

Gettler shook her head and grabbed her notebook.

“It requires a sacrifice,” Temperance said with a far away look. She had never seen an Ascension ceremony with her own eyes, but she heard the screams, bone-chilling, blood curdling screams of agony that went on and on, echoing in the halls so loudly that even with two pillows pressed to her head she could still hear them. And then they would stop. 

Gettler jotted down  _ ‘Sacrifice’ _ . “What kind of sacrifice? Do you know?”

“Um…” Temperance blinked away the memory. “I… read that… the body, um, the body of who will be the Ascended is destroyed during the process.”

_ ‘Body Destroyed’ _ “Hmm…” Gettler pressed her pen to her mouth. “Is that all?”

“I think…” Temperance hugged herself. “I think the process takes multiple sacrifices.”

Gettler’s eyes brightened. “Ah!”  _ ‘Multiple Sacrifices Necessary’  _ “Would you happen to remember where you read this? Which book?”

“I didn’t-” Temperance shook her head. “I’m not feeling well all the sudden. I think… I think I’m going to lie down.”

“Oh!” Gettler was surprised to see that indeed her companion did look unwell. How curious. “Yes. You look pale. You’re breathing faster than normal.” She touched Temperance’s forehead. “No fever from what… I can tell…” She moved Temperance’s hair out of the way to look at the bite. How curious.

Self-consciously, Temperance rolled her shoulder to shoo Gettler’s hand away. “I’ll talk to you later, Gettler.”

“Wait! Before you go! ...May I take a sample?”

“Of what?”

“That wound on your neck. I’d like a small skin sample. I won’t put your name on it! I understand the need for anonymity.”

Gettler was already digging out a sampling kit from her desk. Temperance took one look at the needles presumably involved, said “No, thank you”, and, well... she did up running.

~~~

Later, in Silas’ room -because Temperance said that switching bedrooms was necessary- Temperance huddled up to her boyfriend, closing her eyes and focusing on his steady heartbeat to drown out the ghosts she couldn’t stop hearing. It wasn’t until Silas felt his shirt get wet that he moved. He had thought they were having a quiet night in.

“Hey…” He tilted her head up. “What’s wrong?”

Temperance sniffed. “It’s nothing.” She hugged him tighter, tucking her head back in his chest and hitching her leg up over his.

“Yeah, I’m not buying that one. Not again.”

She laughed sadly. “It’s… Today, at the lab…”

“Did that freak do something to you? I’mma go up there and fucking-!” Temperance shook her head frantically. Dammit. She didn’t need him throwing a tantrum right now as much as he wanted to.

“Gettler didn’t do anything.” Temperance sniffed again. “I just… I remembered something that happened at the Athenaeum.”

It broke his heart to see her cry as she spoke, but he knew she wasn’t done talking. He took to rubbing her back so he didn’t feel so useless.

“I didn’t do anything… I heard them. Dying… And I… I didn’t do anything.”

“Oh, baby…” He pulled her up, so she was in his lap. She broke down, shaking in his arms. He rubbed her back, kissed her hair. “It’s okay. You’re okay. You’re safe now. There was nothing you could have done.” He didn’t know what she was talking about exactly, but those felt like the right words to say, so he repeated over and over “You’re okay. You’re safe now. I’ve got you”, cooing the words into her hair.

Temperance eventually stopped crying, pulling back self-consciously and rubbing her eyes. “I’m sorry. I know this isn’t what you imagined when I said ‘let’s go to your room.’”

He pulled her in and kissed her forehead. “You don’t have to be sorry. Baby, it’s okay to be sad. What happened to you…” Silas had to check his temper. If he could, he would burn the entire Order to the ground in that moment. “None of it’s your fault. You hear me?”

Temperance nodded, sniffing a final time.

“Now get back over here.” He pulled her back to him, tucking her head into the crook of his shoulder. He kissed her hair, making a loud audible MWAH. His hand traced up and down her shoulder and she nuzzled his neck.

Silas licked his lips, happy she couldn’t see his face. “You can talk to me, you know. ...You know that, right?”

Temperance nodded, but otherwise didn’t move. 

“Good.”

When she fell asleep, he carefully moved her as to not wake her up. He left the bed to take his shirt off and change pants and heard her whine in her sleep. So he slipped back into bed and scooted until she was tucked into his chest.

“Shh… baby, I got you,” he whispered and kissed her shoulder. “I got you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know... Another bummer chapter. I'm sorry, but it's necessary.


	10. Chapter 10

Temperance woke up to purring. Groggily, she wondered if Silas had a cat she didn’t know about. Then she woke up a little more and recognized the sound. She smiled, taking his hand in hers and bringing it to her chest. He breathed deep and hummed, interlocking their fingers. The purring stopped.

“Did you know you purr in your sleep?”

Silas laughed into her hair. He pushed some of the curls away with his face so he could get to her shoulder again. “You mean snore?”

“Nooo,” Temperance giggled and spun around. “I mean purr. Like a cat.” She looked at him with his tousled hair before she reached out to pet it. “You do it when you’re awake too.”

“Pfft!  _ When _ ?”

Temperance dropped her hand to his cheek. “Do you seriously not know? You… do it when.... Well, not all the time, but... “ She bit her lip.

Silas smirked. “I purr, huh?” He pulled her flush against him, kissing her. “That must mean you make me  _ real _ happy,” he whispered against her lips before kissing her nose.

Temperance smiled, moving her hand to the back of his neck. “You never noticed?” He shook his head, closing his eyes as she played with his hair. “Hmm. I wonder if you can do it consciously.”

“I don’t know…” he sighed, eyes still closed.

Her hand stopped. “Do you wanna try?”

Silas opened his eyes. She looked happy. He would never have thought this was the same girl from last night. He knew Order defectors all had their own special kind of baggage, but most of them were soldiers or higher ups who saw too much of the war. Of course, they’d show up here fucked up. But Temperance- She had worked with books, right? Silas was pretty sure she told him that.

Silas hadn’t thought anything that terrible had happened to her. He knew the Order tried to use her for some crazy ritual or something, but the Manasept had saved her. They  _ saved _ her. He never thought they saved her too late. His pretty little bookworm who dressed like a grandma and got flustered when he teased her and, hell, made sugar taste like salt, nothing bad should ever happen to her and he hated that it already had. And here she was smiling at him. He would do anything to keep it that way. 

Silas shrugged, smiling back, “Sure.”

Temperance laughed at his “attempts” to purr. His best attempt, he sounded like a cat, kind of, a  _ drowned _ cat. She got the feeling that after try number three he was just being silly. She was pretty sure she knew the reason why. Once the room was quiet, Temperance spoke her piece, “I’m sorry for last night. I kind of unloaded on you.”

Silas cupped her cheek, making her look at him. “Hey… What’d I say to you before? No sorries.” He let his hand slide down to her waist. “I mean it, missy.” 

Temperance frowned, a far off look in her eye. Silas hated it. “I don’t like thinking about it,” she confessed.

“Then don’t.” He kissed her forehead. “Ain’t no use in it.”

She moved away from him. “You don’t know what happened.”

Silas paused. She sounded angry. Alright. Don’t say that again. Check. “Do you… wanna tell me?” he asked carefully like she was a ticking bomb. “You can.”

Temperance’s glare softened and Silas immediately saw what that anger had been protecting; she was devastated.

“The Athenaeum is where the Order stores all their texts. I served there as an Augur…”

Silas knew that part. He nodded along, reaching out to take her hand in his.

“We also housed certain artifacts and…” Temperance licked her lips. “There was a room.” Her hand gripped his tight. “I never went in. I heard them use it once.” She shook her head. “All these people went in and I heard them screaming. Just screaming and screaming. I put pillows on my head.”

Temperance laughed bitterly. “That’s what I did. I heard people screaming for help and I put pillows on my head. I just wanted them to be quiet. ...Then they were. That’s what it sounds like when someone ascends.”

Silas frowned at her, desperate to say something, but Lord knows he’d say the wrong thing. He gently tugged her arm and she let him pull her to him. He rubbed her back and held her, not knowing what else to do.

“Am I a bad person?” she asked after a while.

Silas did a double take. “Sweetness, are you kidding me? No!” He scowled, offended by the very notion. “You couldn’t be a bad person if you tried.”

Temperance pouted.

Alright. She’s unconvinced. “You’re a shit liar for one. My mama would say it’s account of your pure heart. Too good a person to lie. Now you got a problem with that, you can take it up with Ms. Musgraves.”

Temperance smiled. Silas always made her smile. She could try to fight it, but he always did. “What’s it like?” she asked. “Having a mom?”

“No. Do not!” Silas theatrically threw his head to his chest. “You’re breaking my heart!”

Temperance craned her neck to look down at his messy bed head tucked into her bosom. She went back to petting him, laughing, “What?”

“You’re really gonna sit there and tell me those horrible things  _ and _ you never had a mama? It’s too much. I am one man.”

“...Sorry.”

“No, baby. I’m sorry. I…” He shooched up so they were eye to eye on the pillow. “If it were up to me, you would never have a rainy day in your life, you know that? And you tell me about all these storms and…” Silas played with one of her curls, focusing on the hair coiling around his finger instead of her face. “I’d pick the sun out the sky to make them go away.”

Her heart swelled. Temperance knew he was telling the truth. “So,” she teased, “this is probably a bad time to tell you I’ve never had a birthday party.”

“No.” Silas shook his head in disbelief and covered his face in his hands. Then he looked back at her. “No!”

Temperance laughed. “The Order doesn’t recognize birthdays. I wouldn’t know when mine is anyway.”

“Why are you laughing? That’s awful.”

She shrugged, her curls bunching around her. She blew a stray curl out of her face. “Len thinks so too.”

“She knows and she’s never thrown you one either?! I’m sorry, darling. You need better friends.”

Temperance opened her mouth to argue, but he pointed at her.

“You-!” His finger was close enough for her to give him a playful nip. “Stop that.” He sat up against the headboard, pointing at her from a safe distance. “You are having a birthday party  _ today _ , young lady. What day is it? March 3rd? Perfect. Today’s your birthday now. Happy Birthday, baby.” He kissed her once more on the lips before he hopped out of bed.

“Where are you going?” Temperance giggled as Silas rushed to put a shirt and shoes on.

“I gotta see a man about a horse,” he explained. “And by that I mean, someone about a cake.” Fully dressed, he walked over to her again. “Do you like chocolate or vanilla?” 

Temperance opened her mouth, but he shushed her. She smiled behind his finger.

“Woman, you better not tell me you’ve never had cake,” he warned.

Temperance lowered his hand and answered, “Chocolate.”

“Then chocolate it is.” Silas kissed her deeply, feeling her smile against his lips. “I-” He stopped himself before he said what his silly heart screamed. “You stay right here, okay? I’ll be right back.”

“What do I do while you’re gone?” Temperance pouted.

“That’s the beauty of it.” Silas paused in the doorway, shooting a wink her way. “Whatever you want, sweetness. It’s your birthday.”

Temperance smiled dopily to herself when he left. She never understood the outside world’s obsession with birthdays. Len, as Temperance had tried to tell him earlier, had wanted to throw her a party, but Temperance insisted that she didn’t want one and Len was respectful. Temperance still didn’t want one, actually, but Silas wanted to throw her one. If making him happy meant setting a cake on fire, she thought, then so be it. 

Although… She didn’t know why the flavor mattered. Either way, the cake would be burned, right? “Such a strange practice,” she muttered. She didn’t see the point in it. But, Temperance thought suddenly with a mischievous grin, he said I can do whatever I want. 

She skipped over to his dresser and picked out one of his shirts, feeling like a thief. The top was loose on her and softer than her usual attire. Now that she was wearing it, she didn’t want to give it back. Wait! People are presented gifts on birthdays. Len said so. She bit her lip and danced in place. “This is mine now!”

What were the limitations on birthdays? Were there any? She’d have to ask him when he got back. 

~~~

Silas rushed through the manor, looking for anything that could be used as party decorations. He could go out and buy all the balloons and streamers he could manage, but a part of him told him he needed to get back to Temperance right away. That would take too long, the part argued. He needed to keep her safe.

He passed Gettler as she left the kitchen and even though Temperance said the freak hadn’t done anything, he still glared at her.

Gettler waved to him. Ditzy and oblivious as always, he thought. Then Len came out of the kitchen and  _ there _ was someone who could actually help.

“Len!” Silas called, ignoring Gettler completely despite her standing right next to Lenore. “I’m throwing Temperance a birthday party. You know anything I could use to decorate? You’re always doing your… parties.”

Len beamed, breezing past his lackluster pitch, “I love parties! Oh my God! But does Temperance know you’re doing this? I bought her a balloon once and she popped it.”

No balloons. Got it. “She knows.”

“I got her a cupcake and she set it on fire...”

“She knows!” Silas shouted. This was taking too long! He had to get back!, the part screamed. Silas closed his eyes and took a breath. “Do you want to help or not?”

“Of course,” Len smiled at him like he had never raised his voice. “I’ll see what I can find. Where should I bring it?”

“My room. It’s down-” He started pointing.

“I know where it is,” Len interrupted, her whole glow about her saying ‘Don’t worry. Calm down.’ It worked slightly, but Silas knew he’d feel much better once he got back to Temperance. “I’ll start looking. I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“Ok. See ya.” Silas nodded and left.

Len sighed to Gettler. “He’s pretty wound up. I wonder why.”

“They’ve begun mating,” Gettler stated matter-of-factly.

Len knew the consenus was people got  _ less _ wound up when they started having sex, but since Gettler called it ‘mating’, she probably wasn’t part of the consenus. Len also knew she hadn’t told anyone about Temperance and Silas’ escapades, so she neither confirmed nor denied Gettler’s statement. “I wonder how long the newlywed phase will last.” 

“Yes…” Gettler touched her chin. “I wonder… If nesting has already begun, then- Hmm…”

Len patted Gettler’s shoulder. “It’s just a phrase, sweetie. A saying? New relationships always have a newlywed phase where the couple can’t get enough of each other. It’s normal.”

Gettler squinted, processing this new information. “Do you think they would-?”

“No, no,” Len shook her head, letting Gettler down gently. “They don’t want to be an experiment.”

“I’d only want quantitative data,” Gettler argued sadly. “I wouldn’t put their names!”

~~~

Temperance found some books in Silas’ room. The covers were well worn, the spines wrinkled and fraying, and, she noticed woefully, so many pages were dog-eared. They weren’t magical texts or historical. They were fictional. Temperance smiled fondly at the stack. He must really like them, she thought. Clearly, he had re-read them multiple times. She chose one at random and settled in. 

Tucked in his bed, wearing his shirt, reading his book, Temperance felt warm and relaxed like she had slipped into a hot bath. She liked this book too. She was so invested that she didn’t immediately notice when he came back. The sound of him kicking off his shoes made her look up. He was empty handed.

Temperance put the book, open but face down, on the nightstand. She refused to dog-ear a page. “Where’s the cake?” she asked dryly. She didn’t want a cake anyway.

“I didn’t get one.” Silas looked at her, in his bed, wearing- “Is that my shirt?”

“...Yes. I thought it could be a gift... for my birthday… I’m sorry.” Temperance looked down at herself self-consciously. “Should I take it off?”

Silas groaned and, in a flash, he was crawling on the bed to her, capturing her mouth with his. “Don’t ask me things like that.” He shoved the blanket off of her lap and pulled her closer, groping her tits over  _ his _ shirt. He groaned again. “I can’t decide.”

Temperance felt a cold rush of air when he ripped the blanket off her replaced by a searing heat that coursed through her. She melted into him, laying down and pulling him with her, clawing her hands up his back as he kissed and licked her neck. 

She hummed and moaned in delight as he went back to his favorite spot on her. She offered more of her neck, sneaking her hand between them to stroke him through his pants. 

Silas hissed when she unzipped his pants and her hand slipped inside, stroking his bare cock. “Hmm… No, baby,” he panted, “It’s  _ your _ birthday.” He sucked her bottom lip in his mouth, reveling in her hand’s stuttered movement and her whine. He slipped his hand under her shirt and teased her nipples to peaks. “Let me take care of you,” he purred.

“You said…” Temperance bit her lip as he watched her writhe, but kept stroking his cock. “I could have… anything I want…” She ran her thumb over the head of him, swiping precum down.

Silas closed his eyes, abandoning her breast, giving up his teasing, and thrusted into her hand. “Fuck, baby…”

Temperance licked her lips. Watching his face knit in pleasure sent another flash of heat through her. His little pout when she stopped, his eyes heavy lidded and dazed, made her realize why he liked pleasing her so much. Knowing she was doing this to him sent a heady rush to her head.

“Lay back,” she said, nudging him. She rewarded his obedience by straddling his hips and again taking his cock in her hand. She bit her lip seeing him so needy and open, watching him thrust into her hand when she slowed down. 

“Faster,” he panted, bucking into her hand, his hands rubbing up and down her thighs.

Temperance smiled wickedly. “No… I want to take my time.”

Silas threw his head back with a groan, his nails scratching down her legs. Temperance wiggled on top of him, deliciously pleased with his performance. He hissed and groaned, his brow twisted in desperation. “Please,” he tried, rewarded again as her hand sped up. “Fuck, yes…”

Even with his pleas, Temperance did take her time. She took note of what made him hiss, what made him curse, and, most importantly, what made his hands turn bruising on her thighs. His skin shimmered and she loved being able to watch him with full attention. His mouth and hands, honestly, every part of him was distracting.

“Baby… I’m so close,” he begged, but, to her surprise, he stopped her hands. “I want to cum inside you.”

Temperance flushed from his admission. His hands were up to their usual mischief, pulling down her pants. Getting her pants off took some maneuvering, but once she had, he pulled her into his lap, forcing her to straddle him again, nothing between them anymore.

Silas cursed as she began to rub herself on him. Temperance felt herself get even wetter, felt her pussy glide across his cock. God, even this felt so good. Apparently, she enjoyed it for too long because Silas pleaded with her again.

“Fuck! Baby…” Silas bit his lip, his jaw tensing, and Temperance realized that he was holding himself back, letting her enjoy him. She wondered how long he would let her, if he would let her touch him and tease him until he broke. She wondered what he would sound like with his voice hoarse from crying out in pleasure.

“Hah!” Temperance cried out, gasping as his hands clawed into her hips, forcing her to stop the teasing roll of her hips. His eyes, nearly black, pupils blown wide, met hers, a growl bellowing in his chest. Okay, she thought dizzily. Another time…

She arched her hips, using the motion to make her sweep down and onto his cock. She rolled her hips experimentally, bounced on him, switched between leaning back and letting him watch her take his cock and leaning forward, clawing her hands into his chest as she selfishly used his body.

It wasn’t long before she lost her rhythm to pleasure, her movements sloppy and desperate. Silas pulled her down then, his mouth hot on her neck while he slammed into her. She grabbed his shoulders, holding onto him, crying out into the pillows as he came inside her.

Temperance panted, petting his hair as he came down. She hissed when he removed his mouth from her neck and laughed, “Do you have to pick the same spot every time?” She sat up and stretched her neck side to side. “It’s never gonna heal.”

Silas looked up at her, his hand trailing up her side to touch the mark on her neck, and he purred.

“Silas!” Temperance cried out happily, far too energetic for his lust-soaked brain. “You’re purring!”

He smiled, pulling her back down to him. He heard it too. Huh, he thought. He’d been right earlier. She made him  _ real _ happy. He sighed into her hair, holding her close. 

Unbeknownst to each other, in that moment, they both thought the same thing:

Mine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all really have no idea how much I love these two ding dongs! They are learning how to love and I just love them so much!! That learning how to comfort your S.O. thing is so fucking real, you know? ...Maybe you don't. But it is! You say the wrong thing sometimes and you make it worse before you make it any better. 
> 
> It's not about how relationships are in fair weather, it's about how they are when shit goes down. <3


	11. 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's party time.

Temperance was enjoying her birthday so far. She smiled giddily, snuggling back into Silas’ chest. She could feel his breath on her neck, slow, steady puffs of air that told her his eyes were closed, his consciousness on the brink. She was tempted to nap as well, lulled by the smell of him and his warmth, all of it surrounding her. Silas’ bed, she thought, was a nice place to be.

_ Knock. Knock. _

“It’s open,” Silas mumbled into Temperance’s neck and if the feeling of that didn’t shoot up her spine, the words certainly did.

Temperance cranked her neck back at once to catch Silas sleepily opening his eye. “It  _ is _ ?”

It was. 

The door opened and Temperance leapt out of the bed ungracefully as ever. Her foot got caught in the blanket and she ended up ripping it off Silas and nearly busting her ass on the floor. All while she let out a very unladylike shriek.

“Sorry,” Len said. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“You didn’t!” Temperance argued, breathless and heart racing from her tumble and standing up very quickly. She felt lightheaded too, but pushed through it. “You didn’t! No interrupting. We weren’t doing anything. I… I just got here.”

Silas and Len both looked at Temperance. Silas, having sat up now, rested his arm on a propped knee and Len stood in the doorway as Temperance swayed at the nightstand. Silas bit back a smirk as Len’s gaze swept over Temperance’s appearance: her small frame engulfed in his shirt, her curls dishelved from sex and sleep, and a glorious love bite on her neck. Len held in a smile as well, but she and SIlas shared a conspiratory look.

“I just wanted you to know...,” Len started, excitement brewing as she spoke to Silas, “I may have gotten a little carried away, but I have everything taken care of.”

Silas slid out of bed, putting his arm around Temperance’s waist. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“Tonight. The party. I’ve got it all done. You won’t have to lift a finger,” Len explained.

Silas frowned, “But the cake-”

“I’ve got one! And candles! Temperance!” Len squealed and grabbed her friend’s hands and she bounced on her feet. “You’re going to have so much fun! I’ve got lots of games planned and I-”

“I asked you to get decorations,” Silas interjected.

“Uh huh!” Len nodded before turning to Temperance again. “I’ll have the whole lobby decked out! There’s streamers and balloons. Oh! And punch! I used to make this punch for my studio’s parties. It’s so good! You’ll love it!”

Silas frowned deeper. No balloons, he thought. Temperance must have noticed him tense because she looked up at him. Len noticed too.

“Anyway, I should get out your hair.” Len met Silas’ eyes and he saw a bit “I’m sorry” in there under all the “Yay! Party time!”. “I just wanted to tell you you can bring her down to the lobby in a few hours. Everything should be set up then.”

Temperance made a step to follow Len.

“No, you stay,” Len playfully ordered. “You just got here. I’ll see you tonight.” She shut the door behind her.

Temperance fiddled with the end of Silas’ shirt,  _ her _ shirt now. Len saw her in this, saw them in bed together. Temperance flushed anew. She knew she was embarrassed. That made sense, but she didn’t know what Silas was. He was quiet.

“What’s wrong?” Temperance asked him.

Silas chewed on the words before he spoke them because it was silly when he thought about it. “I wanted to throw you a birthday party.”

“Is… Isn’t the party tonight my birthday party?”

“Yeah, but Len’s the one that did it!” Silas sighed, hating how something picked at him. He needed to provide for Temperance and he hadn’t; Len had. “...I didn’t even get you the damn cake.”

“Silas…” Temperance pulled him to her for a kiss and laughed at him. “I could not care less about the cake. I care about you.” She tucked her head into his chest. “If it were up to me, we could spend my birthday right here. All day.”

That something that had been picking shut up real fast and Silas could feel something else wake up, something deep in his chest. When his heart thrummed, he could feel it. Happy. Safe. If he wanted to, he could purr.

“We still can,” he said, wrapping his arms around her and breathing in her hair.

“Like hell, we can!” Temperance laughed into his chest. “You heard Len. She’s got a whole thing going on now. She loves parties. We have to go.” She looked up at him with a mock glare. “You did this.”

“I asked her for decorations,” he argued.

Temperance bit her lip and smirked. “We’ve got some time to kill before the party.”

And now he did purr. “And what, pray tell, are you suggesting?”

Temperance licked her lips and with a wicked grin jumped back on the bed. “I’ll give you a guess…” 

Silas took one step toward her and her hand shot up. 

“Go lock the door.”

~~~

Temperance fiddled with the large bow at her neck. After their “activities” Temperance insisted she needed to change, so she and Silas stopped by her room. She never wore this top, finding her button-downs more sensible for everyday wear than the silky, peach blouse. The bow at the collar, she found absolutely garish and she already missed the comforting loose fit of Silas’ t-shirt. But this was the only top she had that covered her neck. Temperance eyed a turtleneck sweater she tucked away for the colder months. Another option, she supposed. Although the knit was so thick that she felt like she was wearing a blanket the one time she tried it on. She tapped her foot, looking at herself in the mirror and back at where the sweater lay in wait.

Silas whistled. He slid his hands down the sides of her top, pinching the material between his fingers. “You look like a secretary. You just need a skirt.”

Temperance didn’t get the implication, but she knew there was one with that look he was giving her. She caught his hand as he tried to hook a finger in the bow at her neck. “W-We... are going to be late.”

Silas shrugged, letting his palms slide from her hips to her lower back, pulling her closer. “We’re already late.”

Temperance bit her lip, her toes curling in her shoes. “Haven’t you had enough?”

“Never.” He leaned down to close the distance, capturing her lips. 

And okay, yeah, her neither. She had a problem. This was a problem. She should definitely stop kissing him. They should not be kissing. Alert! Alert! He is pulling the collar open! 

Temperance broke away from him and he looked down at her innocently like she wasn’t holding his wrists to keep him from opening her blouse. “Len is waiting. She’s been…” She let their hands fall together. “She’s wanted to throw me a birthday party for a while. This is important to her.”

Silas eyed her for a second and then sighed, “You gotta learn to be selfish. It’s your birthday. That’s the one day out of the year you can do whatever you want and nobody can say fuck all about it.”

Temperance shook her head as she laughed. She adjusted the bow once more in the mirror before she led him out into the hall. “You’re just mad about the decorations,” she teased, interlocking their fingers.

“She didn’t even let me get the cake! It better be chocolate.” Silas wasn’t upset, but the theatrics were fun. He kissed her on the cheek, hamming it up and nearly pushing her over. “Mwah! My baby likes chocolate.”

Temperance giggled, swaying their hands as they walked together. She inched closer and closer as they neared the lobby, the noise of happy partygoers growing more evident with each step, until she was huddled behind him.

Silas leaned back to kiss the top of her head. “What are you doing back there?” he teased. She wants me to protect her, a part whispered. Safe. Happy. 

He opened the door to the lobby. May have gotten a little carried away, Len said.  _ May _ have? A  _ little _ ? The lobby’s ceiling went all the way to the second floor. How the hell did Len get streamers all the way up there?

“Who are all these people?” Temperance mumbled into his shoulder.

Silas recognized a lot of the new recruits mixed in with Manasept members he never spoke to. The entire manor was here and someone must have brought booze because everyone was feeling  _ real _ good. Silas let her hand fall to her lower back, coaxing her out of her hiding spot. “Everyone who cares about you. You are one popular little lady.”

Temperance shyly smiled up at him.

“ _ Ahem _ .” The person behind them didn’t even pretend to clear their throat. They just said the word.

Silas and Temperance turned to find a new recruit. Her slicked back ponytail made her pointed features even more apparent. She looked down her nose at them. The recruit’s foot tapped and she waited.

Silas tucked Temperance into his side. “You need help or something?”

She rolled her eyes, her long ponytail swishing behind her shoulders. “I was  _ told _ there would be punch...?”

“Uh. Yeah.” Silas nodded over to a table in the distance. “Over there.” The fussy recruit left with a sigh and another eye roll. Silas smacked his lips. “See? What kind of party would it be without good ol’ Bird Face?”

“ _ Silas! _ ...She does not look like a bird.” Temperance didn’t look at him, so he wouldn’t see her lying. He still smiled in self-satisfaction. She just knew it. She didn’t have to look at him. 

She opted to ignore him all together, focusing instead on the grandeur that was the lobby. Shimmering streamers and balloons filled the room. There were some games set up as well and even though she didn’t know the people playing, she was happy to see them having fun. Everyone looked like they were having fun. Temperance could see that as she left the safety of her boyfriend’s shoulder.

“This is all for me?” she asked dreamily.

She’d gotten a few steps ahead of him, so Silas playfully pounced her, wrapping his arms around her from behind. She squeaked his name and he laughed into her hair. He pushed her forward and they walked like that for a couple steps, making Temperance giggle even as her face flushed.

“Damn straight.” Silas kissed her head and let her go. “And it’s happening every year from now on.”

Temperance looked up at him. Every year?, she thought. Was he promising to celebrate every birthday with her? She smiled dopily, interlocking their fingers. Witnesses be damned at her unabashed affections! That’d be too much to ask though him, right? They just started dating. She couldn’t ask him to promise… Promise what? Forever?

“You’re here!!” Len burst through the crowd to hug Temperance, inadvertently ripping Temperance’s hand away from Silas. She quickly appraised Temperance’s change of clothes. “You look cute!”

“Um, thanks…” Temperance fiddled with the collar. Len had seen her neck. She knew why Temperance looked like a shiny, peach… What was it Silas called her? Before Temperance could remember, Len pulled her along and it wasn’t long before the both of them were smiling and laughing.

Silas couldn’t make out all their excited babbling, but Temperance slowly broke out of her shell as the girls talked. He hated being far away from her, already missing the smell of her hair, but she looked happy playing games with her best friend. Temperance hesitantly swung the sandbag, looking to Len countless times as she aimed. Len cheered his little librarian on. 

_ She’s wanted to throw me a birthday party for a while. This is important to her. _

Silas shook his head. Temperance was gonna let Len drag her all around today. If it were him, he’d tell his friend to fuck off. He wasn’t gonna let anyone pull him around like that. But then he imagined Temperance tugging him through a crowd with the same bubbly smile she had on right then. So, okay, he would let  _ one _ person.

Ambrosine walked up next to him. She sipped some of the punch, scrunching her nose each time. Then she gestured to the whole lobby. “This is… sweet.” She chewed the word, settling between sarcasm and sincerity.

“Is it?,” he quipped, “‘Cause it smells like pure gasoline from here.”

She rolled her eyes and downed the rest of her cup. “Can I borrow you for a moment?”

Silas watched Temperance laughing with Len. She met his eyes and smiled even bigger as she waved him over. “Later,” he said, taking a step forward.

Ambrosine followed. “Now.” She didn’t slow down, keeping up with Silas as he met up with Temperance. Her eyes slid to the Augur, her voice kept low. “She’ll be here when you get back.”

Silas glared at her.

“Is… everything okay?” Temperance smile was steadily becoming a frown.

He swept Temperance up in his arms. “Everything is fine.” He kissed her cheek with a loud ‘MWAH’ and held her. Being close to her again felt like he could breathe again. “I gotta go for a second.”

“It’s okay.” Temperance smiled up at him. He didn’t realize he must have been frowning until she cooed, “I’ll get you before the cake burning.”

“You mean the candles?” he said with a laugh.

She stiffened. “Yes. Candles. That’s what I said.”

He laughed again and kissed her soundly on the lips like he was taking a deep breath before going underwater. “Don’t set anything on fire without me. Okay?”

Her cheeks were a delectable pink as she smiled dopily up at him. “Okay.” 

~~~

“A birthday party?” Ambrosine remarked dryly as she and Silas walked the halls. “You really think that’s the best use of our time?”

“Opposed to what?” Silas kicked his feet as he walked, knowing the scuff of his boots would irritate her, but he was irritated. A prickling under his skin began the moment they left. “This is all busywork. None of it matters.”

Ambroine’s foul mood wasn’t helped by the remark or his antics. Her resting face had always been rather off putting to others, but now her permanent scowl deepened, ever so slightly, in a show of genuine offense. “Yes. It does.”

“Pfft!” Silas scoffed. Taking to stamping out a rhythm as they walked, he skipped along. “Oh, yeah? Ms. _Junior_ _Scryer_ thinks so? Well, she knows all, so that must be right.” He finished his tap routine with what he thought were some pretty impressive buffalo steps, but she was unimpressed and uninterested. Fine. She wants to be serious? “Even Theo don’t care about this,” he added.

“Yes. She does,” she responded tersely, turning into the scrying room.

“Is that right?” Silas pushed right past her to circle the orb. The giant smooth crystal was dark at the present. He looked into it and didn't see anything but glass. “...You really think she’d let you near her precious baby if any of this mattered?”

Ambrosine’s hackles were up as she came to the orb’s aid, Silas far too lax around the powerful item. “If you don’t care, then why are you even here?”

“My words exactly.” He rapped his knuckles against the glass. “Maybe this thing  _ is _ on.”

“Careful!” She wrapped her body protectively around the orb and its stand. Ambrosine scowled at him. “This won’t be long. You’ll be back at your party soon enough.”

“You mean the birthday party for my beautiful and loving girlfriend?” Silas clasped his hands together pleadingly. “No. Please don’t make me go back.”

Ambrosine rolled her eyes before turning her back on him. The crystal took on a glow as she searched through the nether. Silas waited, at the ready, should something or someone slip through. He wasn’t 100% sure how to go about helpling Ambrose if something in there grabbed her, but step one was always smashing the damn thing. Her and Theo could be pissed all they want after. They were scryers anyway, he thought. They should see it coming.

As Ambrosine finished up, Silas thought to himself that she looked more and more distressed with each reading. He could tell. Maybe she wasn’t seeing something she liked. Maybe, he thought snidely, she couldn’t see anything at all and this was a big waste of time. Not like she’d ever admit it.

“We done here?” he asked, knowing full well that the orb going dark was signal enough. “My lady awaits.”

Ambrosine scoffed, turning to look at him. Aw, hell. He knew that look. “You can’t keep doing this.”

Silas sighed, already feeling a headache coming on. “Doing  _ what _ ?”

“Are you kidding me? Look at you right now.” She gestured to him and he looked down, noticing now how tightly his arms were crossed and that his foot was tapping an impatient tune. “You can’t wait to get back.”

He uncrossed his arm and kept his feet still on the ground. “Sorry I want to spend time with my girlfriend.”

“That’s not it.” Ambrosine shook her head. “You know that’s not it. Jesus, Si! You’re following her around like a puppy!”

“I am not!”

“You’re obsessed with her!”

“I am not obsessed! I  _ like _ her! But fuck me, right? … Stop looking for problems where there are none.”

“What’d you do today, Silas?” Ambrosine crossed her arms, her voice calm again. “Walk me through that. You woke up, took a piss, brushed your teeth, then what? Tell me you didn’t spend every waking moment with her.”

That know-it-all voice. Fucking scryers. Silas opened his mouth, but she cut him off. 

“Apart from setting up a fucking party and right now, tell me you weren’t all over her. Tell me you aren’t fiending to get back to her.”

“Fuck you.” Silas was leaving.

“Whatever. You know I’m right. You need to stop this before…”

He expected her to finish and, when she didn’t, he immediately pounced on it. He spun back around. “Before what? Before  _ what _ ?! Go on now! Share with the class!” He laughed as he fanned out his arms for the imaginary audience. “What does the Almighty Ambrosine see? Huh?!”

Ambrosine chewed the inside of her cheek, her nails digging into her arms, while her eyes shot daggers at him. “...I don’t know.”

“OOOH! You don’t know something! Stop the presses! This may be a world fucking first.” Silas got in her face, lowering his voice. “I don’t care what Theo told you when she gave you this job. I’ve had that old hag telling me about  _ my _ life for long enough. So I’m gonna tell you that same thing I told her:  **_I_ ** decide what  **_I_ ** do in  **_MY_ ** life. Not you and not this fucking thing!”

Silas slapped the scrying orb so hard that it rattled in its stand. If Ambrosine hadn’t been next to it, the whole thing would have toppled over.

“GET OUT!” she shouted.

Silas gave her a flourished bow. “Gladly.”

~~~

“Really. It’s fine,” Temperance insisted with an easy smile.

Micah fiddled with the drink in his hands. The liquor had loosened up some more than others, but not him at all. By the volume left in his glass, he was probably holding it for show. Temperance understood. She, as the Birthday Girl, had been offered many drinks from many people. Birthdays were strange. How was everyone on board? Had they rehearsed this?

Len had apologized to Temperance on their behalf. Apparently the punch she’d made had not been alcoholic when she made it. She promised to make another batch especially for her and Temperance to share another day. Then, she excused herself for more party host activities and Temperance was ordered to enjoy herself.

Temperance didn’t know how to do that! Not at a party! With people! Silas left. Then Len left. Thank the Makers that Micah found her. At least she wasn’t alone.

“I still feel like I should have brought something,” Micah apologized again. “I had no idea your birthday would be today.”

“Me neither,” she quipped and they both laughed.

“I’ve spoken to… Gettler? I believe she goes by?” Micah pointed to the tiny blonde in question. Gettler had  _ clearly _ gotten into the punch and was thrilled that so many people were willing to do whatever study she’d made up. 

Temperance nodded. That was Gettler alright. She hoped Gettler hadn’t brought tools with.

Micah smiled and continued, “She said you two are working on a project together. When I told her I was an acolyte, she…” He adjusted his bowtie, blushing as he remembered everything Gettler said to him. She was inebriated, he reasoned. After the work proposal she’d gone on and on about Temperance and mating...? 

“She requested I assist you,” he added, his blush growing to his ears. “Both. In the project.” He took a swig of his drink. “We-” He grimaced, the startling amount of alcohol burning down his throat. “We should see more of each other soon.” 

Temperance laughed while Micah cleared his throat for a second time. “I can’t wait,” she said.

“A-Anyway-” Micah’s eyes repeatedly darted to something behind her. “Happy Birthday! See you at the lab.”

Temperance waved and turned to look at what scared Micah off. Silas was back! Temperance beamed. Oh good! Maybe he wanted to play the bag toss game with her. Not to toot her own horn, but she had vastly improved since her first game with Len. She was about to ask him, but her mouth found itself rather occupied when he pulled her to him. One hand cradled her face and another pulled her hips to his and as much as she wanted to give into the coil of heat that spread through her, they were in the middle of a VERY public space.

Gently, she pushed him away, wiggling out of his grip. She nervously cleared her throat and decided she would be avoiding eye contact with everyone for the remainder of the evening. Seemed fair. “Is… everything okay?” asked Temperance.

“Everything is fine,” he said. With a troubled expression, she noted. He trailed one hand from her cheek down to her neck, fingertips grazing the mark still hidden by puffs of peach silk.

Temperance took a hold of his hand, pressing it into her cheek. “You sure?”

Silas sighed, brushing his thumb once more along her jaw before letting his hand drop. “Just Ambrosine on her bullshit.” He couldn’t keep the bite out of his voice, anger stoking under his skin.

“Does she-?” Temperance frowned, biting her lip. “ I.. feel like ever since we started dating that she… you know. Hates me.”

“She hates everyone.” He shrugged, letting his arm wrap loosely around her waist. His sour expression faded away bit by bit and he added playfully, “So do I.”

Temperance’s nose scrunched in delight. “No, you don’t!”

“I don’t hate  _ you _ .” He brushed her nose with his. “Everyone else can fuck off.”

“Oh,” Len spoke up. She half turned her back on the couple. “So no on the cake then?”

“No, no.” Silas let Temperance go, so they could both follow Len to the cake table. “Cake first. Then you can fuck off.”

“ _ Silas. _ ” Temperance hissed, but Len and Silas shared smiles.

Len had the candles all set up in the cake and went to lighting them. Temperance had Silas behind her, him rubbing up and down her arms in excitement. Then Len was done, standing back proudly, and the cake was covered in tiny flames. The sight, Temperance would admit, was beautiful. This burning ritual may have its merits.

“What are you gonna wish for?” Silas whispered. Temperance shot him a look. “When you blow out the candles,” he explained, “You make a wish.”

When she didn’t respond, Silas laughed lightly against her shoulder and led her forward. “Okay,” he instructed. “You’re gonna think of something you want-”

Suddenly he was shushing her like he had that morning.

“You’re  _ not _ gonna say it out loud.”

“Why not?” she giggled from behind his finger.

“It won’t come true,” he reasoned and booped her nose. 

Silas was being silly. Spells have to be spoken. Temperance didn’t know a lot about magic, but she knew that and anyone in the Manasept would know that. She smiled, warmth bubbling up inside while her heart melted and she awaited further instruction.

“Alright, now close your eyes.” He guided her down to the cake once she did. The heat from the fire told her she was close, but not too close. His voice was soft. “Make a wish. And blow.”

Temperance felt him back away and thought. Something she wanted. What was something she wanted? Her eyes were closed, but she could imagine the scene before her: Len next to the cake, beaming as bright as the sun, Silas whispering sweet nothings to her, and a cake that wasn’t going to be burned, a cake she could eat. And it was chocolate. Temperance loved chocolate. 

Temperance took a deep breath.

I wish every birthday could be like this.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My sister and her friend are pushing me to write more of this. So I'm probably gonna write more of this. I do miss these knuckleheads in love.


End file.
